Seventeen
by Ginny Lair
Summary: (Musical-verse, I don't own the cover photo. All rights go to the artist.) It has been eighteen years since the "Suicide Ring" at Westerburg High. Veronica Sawyer has returned to Sherwood with her seventeen-year-old daughter, Heather. As Heather explores her new life at Westerburg, she discovers many secrets from her mother's long forgotten past.
1. Chapter 1

Dear Diary,

I don't believe I've written in this thing since high school. To think I've kept this piece of junk all of these years. Probably my fear of someone finding it by mistake. After all these years, I'm back at Westerburg High. I know. I know. I'm so stupid by coming back, but with all this stuff with Mom's cancer, I knew I needed to be with her. It's been eighteen years since The Heathers ruled the school with an iron fist and Jason Dean plotted to destroy the entire student body. Though, I can't exactly pin all the blame on him, I did play his accomplice until the end.

Eighteen years and here I am, registering my own child to endure the hell I suffered here. Mentally, I don't think I ever left. There are times I still see Heather Chandler standing next me, mocking every move I make. I see Kurt and Ram, making perverted remarks about my daughter. Out of all the ones I feel responsible for, J.D. is the only one I don't see constantly. I don't have to. His essence is virtually everywhere. His memory is always haunting me, always pushing me to make decisions purposely to piss him off, even though he isn't there to get upset. What I majored in when I was in college, who I dated, even what I named my kid, which I think is the best kicker of all.

Look, I promise I'm a good person. I'm not the same Veronica Sawyer who was totally memorized by her boyfriend and let him talk her into the murders of three people. While I might still be suffering the PTSD from my senior year's events, I'm now a happily engaged single mother who stopped forging suicide notes (or anything for that matter) the day my high school sweetheart strapped a bomb to himself. I learned German. "Ich luge," by the way, means "I lie."

Asshole.

"Mom?"

Veronica quickly shut the diary and looked at her daughter, who was sitting beside her in the front office. "Yes, Heather?"

Yes, Veronica Sawyer had named her only child after the girls who molded her forever. Maybe it was that she felt guilty about accidentally killing Heather Chandler, or the psychological damage it had given Heather McNamara, or even the power high she gave Heather Duke, one which she never got over (she wrote a whole series of feminist novels against men, she is now universally hated). Perhaps she named her Heather out of spite, knowing it would anger J.D. if he was still alive.

"What are you doing?" Heather asked, pointing at the diary.

Her mother smiled and promptly stuck it in her purse. "Just jotting down some thoughts. So, you start senior year tomorrow. You excited?"

Heather shrugged. "As excited as I can be for spending my last year transferring from one teenage wasteland to another."

With that remark she returned to fixing her makeup. Veronica knew her daughter was absolutely beautiful, as many had been open on informing them both. She had crystal blue eyes, which where undeniably Veronica's though hers reflected complete innocence, unlike her mother's damaged and broken inside reflecting through. She had thick brown hair, which could have come from either of her parents, but a very slim physique. If she had a few more inches on her, she would look like one hell of a model. Everyone had loved to tell Veronica how much Heather had taken after her mother in looks, but Veronica could only part way see the resemblance. She was incredibly smart, like both her parents, but didn't seem set on an ivy-league university like she had been at that age. She did share her mother's love for reading classic literature, but Veronica had been pretty strict on what she would be able to read. Moby Dick was absolutely outlawed.

"Heather Sawyer?" Standing at the office counter, was a very youthful-looking woman about Veronica's age. She was extremely cheerful, and had a familiar demeanor.

Veronica and Heather both stood up. The woman smiled and tossed her curled blonde hair over her shoulder. "Veronica?"

She was wearing a very expensive looking outfit, with a yellow bracelet on her wrist with the initials: "HMW" engraves in silver.

"Heather?!" Veronica exclaimed. "Heather McNamara?!"

The woman smiled and ran around the counter to hug her former friend. "It's so good to see you! Yep, it's me, though I'm Heather West now. Oh my gosh you look beautiful!"

Veronica couldn't help but blush. "Thanks, Heather. So you work here now?"

"Well, not really. I volunteer. I'm a homemaker, but with my kids starting this school this year, I have some extra time to waste! So, is this your daughter?!"

Veronica hugged her daughter from behind. "Yep, this is my Heather. She'll be a senior at Westerburg now."

"How very! Heather's your name? Having a Heather at Westerburg who doesn't wear shoulderpads. That's going to be a first. Who's her father?"

Heather Sawyer looked at her mother. "That's a good question."

Veronica shifted uncomfortably. "No one. He's long gone now. It's just Heather and I, and soon my fiance, Phil." She flashed her engagement ring for Heather West to gawk at. "He was a reporter doing a piece on my firm back in Lima. Shortly after we fell in love. He got a job down here in Sherwood and will be moving down in a few weeks." It felt good to gloat about her happy post-high school life. She was a lawyer. She was marrying a sane, incredibly kind man. Phil was so wonderful, and acted like a great father-figure for Heather. She had definitely moved past the memories of Westerburg High, or so it seemed.

The Sawyers spent the remainder of the day taking a tour of the school before returning home. They had already spent the last week unpacking, to where most of the house seemed perfectly unpacked. While Heather went upstairs to her room to pick out her outfit, Veronica took time to call Phil, who gave her a solid reminder to send her back into the present.

"So what are you doing for Heather's birthday tomorrow?"

"Oh shit. That's tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Veronica..."

She rubbed her face. "Sorry, with the move I've barely been thinking. That must be why she's so upset. Starting her senior year on her birthday in a new town and a new school. I'm a horrible mother."

"You're not. You're just sidetracked. Besides, you bought her gifts a month ago. I'm just sad I have to work and can't be there."

She smiled at her fiance's voice. "Heather's seventeen tomorrow. Where did the time go?"

Meanwhile, Heather was in the biggest struggle of her life. Blue, yellow, green, or red? The birthday/first day of senior year outfit needed to be perfect.

Before she could decide, the doorbell rang.

"Heather could you get that?!" Veronica called.

Heather sighed and raced down to the door. Upon opening it, she was quick to ask "How may I help you?" only to realize no one was there. In the place of a person, there was a wrapped gift on the doormat. It was cheap, black wrapping paper, with a shiny blue bow. She raised a brow. A gift? The night before my birthday? Leaving it at the door like a creeper?

The curiosity led Heather to tear into the paper. Inside was a copy of Moby Dick, with a sticky note stuck to it. In very neat, but straight stereotypically male handwriting, read,

"Thought you'd enjoy this."

She stared at it. It was an older book, probably purchased at a secondhand store. She suddenly wondered who would give this to her? Or how they would know where she lived? Maybe it was her grandparents, or even her mother. Possibly even Phil. Yet all of them knew of her mom's weird thing about Moby Dick. Maybe her mom gave it to her as a blessing.

She took another look at the paper and bow.

Black and blue...


	2. Chapter 2

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation.

Heather dug into the opening paragraph of Moby Dick as she waited to take her hair out of her curlers. It was seven in the morning, and her makeup was already done, outfit already on. She had let the black wrapping paper and blue bow from last last night influence her color scheme: she had chosen a blue dress, complimented by a black blazer and matching leggings as well as boots.

"Heather?"

The sound of her mother's voice made her jump. "Hold on!" She stuffed the book in her backpack and began unraveling the curlers from her hair. "Come in!"

Veronica opened the door and greeted her daughter with a smile. "Morning. Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks, Mom."

Veronica rushed into the room and sat next to her on the bed. In her hand was a gift bag, with Heather's name written in glitter pen on it. She smiled at her daughter and handed her the gift. "I know we don't usually do presents until the cake after dinner, but I thought I'd give this to you early."

Heather opened the bag to see a beautiful blue book staring at her. Inside were perfectly printed lines, on clean white pages.

"You see, my mom gave me a diary when I turned seventeen, and I thought I'd carry on the tradition. I know diaries are a bit out of style now, but I thought if you didn't want to use it as one, you could use it for school or something."

Heather smiled and hugged her. "Thanks, Mom." With that she tucked the diary into hr backpack, besides her copy of Moby Dick.

Five minutes into being at the school, and Heather already hated Westerburg. Mrs. West at the front office had been very nice about printing her out a map of the school, as well as getting her schedule and locker number and combination. Everyone else had received their locker information and schedules weeks earlier in the mail, but Heather was not yet registered by then.

The school was filled will the stereotypical cliques that high school cliques: stoners, sports stars, theatre kids, band geeks, fandom nerds, and the ones who float from clique to clique. They all gathered in clusters along the hallway, laughing and talking before the morning bell rang.

Her locker was in the central hallway, next to a memorial for students who died before graduation. The more recent deaths had been accredited to cancer and such, but farther back, the three closest to her locker, read:

Heather Chandler, death by suicide. 1973—1989

As well as two memorials pinned to a rainbow pattern flag that said:

Kurt Kelly, WHS quarterback, death by double suicide. 1972—1989

Ram Sweeney, WHS linebacker, death by double suicide 1971—1989

May these Westerburg students forever rest in peace.

These three all had died when her mom had been in high school. Three suicides in the same year. Heather suddenly wondered if her mother had known them, or even been friends with them. Mom wasn't one for sharing her life in high school, claiming that her senior year had caused her permanent psychological damage, which didn't give her daughter much hope for her own senior year. Her mom had stated that 1989 was the worst year of her life, and that Heather was the only good thing to come from it. She was born the year her mom graduated high school (she was six months pregnant at the time of graduation, something she had hidden by wearing her best friend, Martha's sweaters, and her two best friends were the only members of the student body who knew), and her father was a mystery. According to her mom, after both of her best friends attempting suicide, she had tried to cope with partying, which resulted in a few drunken nights with boys. She claimed to have absolutely no clue who her father was, and had chosen not to investigate and find out. "Nobody at that school had the emotional maturity to raise a baby with me," she had said. If she really knew in her heart who had provided the other half of Heather's gene pool, she had no intention of telling anyone.

While she had some issues with her teenage angst, she had done her best to be the best mother she could. She had given up going to one of the two Ivy League schools so she could be with her child. While living with her parents, she went to a community college and after graduation she moved the two of them to Cleveland so Veronica could attend law school. After passing the bar exam, the two moved to Lima, where Veronica worked as a private practice attorney. That was where she met Phil, her fiance, when he was doing a story at her firm. Phil and Heather had gotten along well, and while he seemed like the perfect companion for her mom, he was not the perfect dad for her. He was a thirty-something man with no kids of his own, and had no clue how to be a parent to anyone. He did care about her, and was making an effort. He made plans to move in with them when they found out her grandmother got diagnosed with a rapidly-moving cancer.

Her mom seemed truly uncomfortable being back in Sherwood, and yesterday Heather watched her nearly have a panic attack being back in her old high school, and for that reason alone made her hate Westerburg.

"Hello!"

Heather turned to see a cheery-eyed blonde girl staring back at her. A big smile took over her face. She was wearing a pink outfit, and looked like a Delta Nu sorority sister from Legally Blonde.

"Hi," Heather replied, opening her locker.

"You're new, aren't you? I'm Lexi Fulbright, I'm on the welcoming committee! Well, I would be if we had one. New students don't happen much. What's your name?"

Before Heather could respond, another blonde in a purple outfit walked up. "Jesus Lex, chill." The other blonde turned to Heather. "I'm sorry about my younger sister, she loves trying to make new friends." She smoothed down her purple skirt and tossed her beach blonde locks over her shoulder. "Carol Lynn Fulbright, senior. You?"

"Heather Sawyer. Also senior."

The two spent the next few minutes talking. Carol Lynn explained that Lexi was a sophomore and had skipped kindergarten, making her only fourteen. Carol Lynn was Senior Class President, and shared three classes with Heather, as well as lunch. She was much calmer than her younger sister, but twice as to the point. To be honest, it felt good to have someone show her the ropes the first day. Lexi popped in every now and then in the hallway to say hello, and once the sisters had learned it was her birthday, they got truly excited.

"Hey, there's the senior bonfire tonight, you wanna go?" Carol Lynn asked at lunch. "It starts at ten. I could pick you up, if you want."

Heather didn't have a car of her own, but had been promised one as her graduation present. She had gotten her license a few months back, and occasionally got permission to drive her mom's car, as long as she knew where she was going. A giant playground of teenagers? That'd be a no from her mom. So she agreed to that.

When she got a text from her mom saying she was staying late to work, the Fulbright sisters were quick to offer her a ride home. Carol Lynn drove a black 2008 Honda Accord, a senior gift from her parents. She let Heather have the front seat, and Lexi gleefully stretched out in the backseat. Carol Lynn immediately turned on the radio, blasting out pop tunes. Heather took the opportunity to open her diary and write in for the first time.

September 3, 2007

Dear Diary,

So Mom got me this for my birthday,which evidently just so happens to be the first day of senior year. New age, new birthday, new school, new town, new everything. To be honest, I had expected everything to be a whole hell of a lot worse than it is. Last night a random copy of Moby Dick appeared at my door (really good book so far), and five minutes into being a Westerburg High student, I think I made two friends. They are sisters, named Lexi and Carol Lynn, Carol Lynn being my class president. She even invited me to a senior bonfire, as well as to drive me back and forth today.

You know, I honestly thought it would be hell on wheels today. I thought I'd inherit Veronica Sawyer's grand hatred for Sherwood and wish I was dead. The people so far seem so unbelievably kind. The lady in the front office, Mrs. West, seemed to know Mom back in high school, and is maybe one of the sweetest people I have ever met. The student body seems somewhat decent, even though I seemed to only make contact with two students. Hopefully tonight Carol Lynn can introduce me to some other people.

It's not so bad, I've realized. Maybe I can make this place home, make some friends, blend in. Losing all my friends from Lima might not really be the end of the world. After I announced I was moving and got into that huge fight with Phoebe McMannahan, I got that awful taste of what it's like to be on the unfavorable end of the social hierarchy. She had accused me of letting out the secret that she liked girls as well as boys, since I was her best friend and one of the only ones who knew. Not that her relationship with Ashley Fraber was much of a secret. The two made out a party. Once she was referred to as "dike" by the runningback she used to sleep with and she had to let him grope her in front of the cafeteria to prove her love for boys, Phoebe vowed to ruin my reputation . Well that she had done well. By the time I had left Lima, I had not a single person I could call "friend."

This move was really a strike of luck. Well, not with Grandma getting cancer, but with escaping all the Paul Revere High bullshit. Phil was moving down to be with Mom, and they were going to get married here. This really is a move for the better.

Heather jolted as Carol Lynn hit the brakes and put the car in park. "See you in a few hours."

Heather had a pretty nice birthday dinner with her mom and grandparents. Phil even called to wish her a happy birthday. Her mom was even cool with her going to the bonfire, as long as she called when she was coming home.

Carol Lynn picked her up at nine-thirty sharp. Lexi wasn't with her, for it was a seniors-only event. Five minutes into the ride, Carol Lynn realized she had forgotten to buy chips for the bonfire. Needing to get gas anyway, she parked at a 7-Eleven and handed Heather a fifty.

"Get a few huge bags of chips? You can get anything you want for yourself, just give me change," Carol Lynn said.

Heather nodded and entered the convenience store. Rows of packaged, artificially-made food filled the shelves, sodas and beers stored in the glass refrigerators ling the side of the store. Trying to make it quick, she snatched an armful of party-sized chip bags before heading over to to the refrigerated section and grabbing a bottle of soda. Holding and armful of goodies, she felt her cellphone buzz in her blazer pocket. Grabbing a bag of chips with her teeth, she tried to open her cell as she kept walking.

Mom- B home b4 1 AM plz. U have school 2morrow. Luv u! Happy Bday!

Heather- Ok. Will do.

Bam! Just as she was tucking her cell back into her pocket and pulling the bag from her mouth, she crashed into a man. He was in all black, holding a Blue Raspberry Slurpee in his hand. Heather looked up and her eyes widened. "I'm so sorry!"

With that she tried to maneuver around him, but he was quick to grab her upper arm, making her whip around to face him again. He stared into her eyes, looking completely dazed. "Oh my god..."

"Can I help you?" Heather asked, darting her eyes back and forth from him to her arm.

"I'm sorry, it's just that you look just like this girl I knew." He spoke slowly, only half-speaking to her. "You look just like Veronica Sawyer..."

"You know my mom?"

His eyes suddenly widened. "Mom?" He let go of her arm. "Veronica had a kid."

"Well the doppelganger before you proves that. How do you know my mom?"

He shrugged. "We were friends back in high school. Word is Veronica hasn't been seen in Sherwood in years."

Heather, confused by the creepy 7-Eleven guy and half assuming him to be drunk, gave him a quick, tight-lipped smile. "She's back now. Excuse me."

She swerved past him and made her way to the check-out counter. Sadly, he followed her. "So Veronica had a kid. That's unexpected." He looked at her as she put her bags on the counter, "How old are you?"

She decided to give in. "Seventeen as of today."

He smiled. "Today's your birthday?"

"So they tell me," she said as she pulled out her bill to pay. The man pushed her hand away and handed the cashier some bills, and threw in a bag of Corn Nuts.

"I got this. Consider this a birthday present."

"Oh you didn't have to."

He shook his head and laughed. "Anything for Veronica Sawyer's kid. Your mom was kind of a legend back at Westerbug when she was your age." He took a sip of his Slurpee. "So her legacy lives on. What's your name?"

"Heather. Sawyer."

His brows knit together at the sound at her name. For some reason he found her name truly perplexing. Just as she was about to ask for his, Carol Lynn burst in.

"Jeez, Heather. You've been here for ten minutes. We need to go, we're already late."

Heather grabbed the bags. "Oh. Okay. Sorry." Carol Lynn was quick to usher her out the door before she could thank the stranger and catch his name to ask her mom if she remembered him. She only got to glance back once as Carol Lynn was driving away, to see him staring at her out the window of the store, sipping his Slurpee.


	3. Chapter 3

The senior bonfire was held in the woods behind the school, where nearly the entire senior class had set up a fire that stood five feet tall. To light it was schoolwork from previous years, where Heather had realized she had none with her. Carol Lynn got the bags of chips and looked at her.

"You'll be fine, I forgot to bring them too. Now I'm gonna go put these up. If you need me, I'll be with a few of the student government members. Go make friends. This isn't like the movies, there isn't anyone here who is going to crucify you for saying the wrong thing."

Heather smiled and nodded at her. "Thanks, Carol Lynn."

"No prob."

Heather wandered around the groups, trying to find someone approachable enough to talk to. While they technically were approachable, she was still haunted by the memories from her last school to just go up and talk to someone.

Luckily, that wasn't much of an issue. Within five minutes, a boy had come up to her. He was cute, tall with a sweet smile.

"Hey. Heather, right?" He asked.

She nodded. "How did you know?"

"Carol Lynn said she was bringing you, plus we have forensics and lit together. And lunch."

"Oh..."

"My name is Ben, by the way. Ben Applegate. I'm friends with Carol Lynn."

Turned out Ben was the runningback on the football team, and leader of the student section. He was dying to get into Duke, but Ohio State was his safety school. He was really into extra-circular activities. He worked part-time as a junior coach at a kids sports center, and spaced out his time with helping with NSA, FBLA, and even drama (as a stagehand). He was currently taking three APs, (AP Calculus, APUSH, and AP Psychology), and was devoted to getting into a good school. He seemed driven, sweet, and funny. He said he was excellent at time management, and managed to balance everything and still make time for friends.

The two spent an hour talking and laughing, before finally he asked her out to a movie.

"Yeah, actually. I'd love that."

He walked over to the keg and poured her a beer. Usually Heather didn't drink, still haunted by school memories, but for Ben, she took it and downed it.

Suddenly, Carol Lynn was on a stand, yelling into a bullhorn. "Whattup seniors?!"

All the kids at the bonfire roared with excitement.

"Well today is not only our first day of senior year—"

The crowd gave out another loud roar.

"But it's also my new friend's birthday, and it's her first day as a senior at Westerburg! So let's sing our new Westerburg classmate happy birthday! Heather Sawyer get over here!"

Heather knew she was red. She turned to run away, but Ben turned her back around and walked her over to Carol Lynn. There was a store-bought cake waiting for her, reading Happy Birthday in red icing. Blue candles were lit all around the perimeter of the cake, flames burning bright. It was beautiful. The whole senior class was singing her Happy Birthday and they had even gotten her a cake. She beamed with happiness. When they finished, she blew out the candles and everyone clapped. She turned to Carol Lynn.

"How did you know?"

Her new friend gave her a smirk. "Student Government is in charge of organizing new records. I went to put yours away, and saw your birthdate was today. Once I learned that, I convinced you to come here and called in a cake. After school, Ben was nice enough to go to the bakery and pick it up for me while I got you. Though he was running a bit behind…" She shot Ben a look. He gave a nervous smile. "So I stalled at the 7-Eleven."

"So you two organized this for someone you barely knew?" She smiled at them. Carol Lynn returned the smile and made appropriate body language for a hug.

"Thank you so much!" She hugged Carol Lynn. Then she gave a quick hug to Ben. "Thank you so much!"

***  
The next day went smoothly. She caught a ride with Carol Lynn and Lexi to school, and talked with Ben during classes about their date.

"So what movie do you want to see?"

She smiled at the note he had passed to her during Forensics. She scribbled a movie title down and passed it back. Not a second later, it was back on her desk.

"Superbad sounds great! You mind if we stop at the 7/11 for snacks? Those concession prices are through the roof!"

"Yeah! I'll bring my extra large purse!"

The gave a snort at reading that,which made their teacher whip around. The two sank in their seats. At lunch, he joined her and Lexi at the table, where Carol Lynn was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Carol Lynn?"

"Lunch meeting with the Student Government," Lexi replied, opening the bottle of mineral water that had been set beside her lunchbox. "She'll be out the whole period. Anyway, so I heard you two got caught by Dr. Thomas for passing notes in forensics this morning."

Heather suddenly felt all the blood rush to her cheeks. Ben laughed. "Dr. Thomas wasn't happy that we were more focused on our date tonight than the steps to examining a crime scene."

This was the first the date has been mentioned to either of the Fulbright sisters. Lexi didn't seem to mind it at first, and seemed to completely ignore the fact altogether. "I'm dying in Chem. I would kill to be taking a senior science. Anatomy. Forensics. Genetics. It sounds so much cooler than a periodic table."

"You need help memorizing the periodic table for Mrs. Lancely's quiz Friday?" Ben ased.

"Do I ever."

"I'll drop by your house after school tomorrow and tutor you. How about that?" Lexi quickly agreed. He turned to Heather. "We're next door neighbors. Raised like siblings. Our parents are best friends. Lexi and Carol Lynn are like my baby sisters."

"Blah blah blah," Lexi playfully joked. "What are you two going to see?"  
"Heather decided on 'Superbad,'" He nudged her lightly. "Actually looking forward to it."

Heather gave him a look. "You saying that if I had chosen a chick flick, you wouldn't look forward to it?"

He held up his hand in defense. "Well, I wouldn't not look forward to a movie with a pretty girl like yourself, I—"

"Pretty girl like myself?" Heather joked. "You mean there's someone else?"

Lexi rolled her eyes. "Oh save it for your date. I'm losing my appetite."

Heather and Ben looked at each other and laughed.

When Heather got home that day, her mom was sitting at the coffee table with a plump lady about her own age. The two were drinking coffee and laughing. The lady was beautiful. She had a stylish bob, and her makeup was perfect. The only thing not matching her dress and wedges, was a pink unicorn charm bracelet on her wrist.

Veronica noticed her daughter walking into the house. She set down her mug. "Mmm. Heather! You're home! Martha, you remember my daughter, Heather, don't you?"

Martha's face lit up with excitement. "Of course! How could I forget?" She stood up and blushed. "Though you're much taller than I remember."

Veronica laughed. "Heather, this is Martha Dunnstock, my best friend from high school. Your godmother. She's the reason you knew every word to The Princess Bride before you could speak."

She gave Martha a quick hug.

"You know Veronica, she looks like the perfect blend between you and—"

Veronica shot her a look.

"A-and Cary Elwes! If he had brown hair, thicker lips, and different eyes." Martha stammered out a response.

"Come, sit with us," Veronica urged Heather, patting the couch cushion next to hers. "Martha is telling me all about her book! She's publishing her first romance novel!"

Martha grinned. "I've been doing writing on the side for a bit. It's about a young kindergarten teacher who starts a steamy affair with a spy! I had to publish it under a pen name though. I don't think people would want their kids to have a kindergarten teacher who publishes novels about that sort of thing. "

"Aww. What's your pen name? So we can purchase it later?" Veronica asked.

"M. Sweeney."

At that moment, Heather felt a string of awkwardness stem from her mother. When she felt awkward, she had been known to focus attention on her kid. Heather had to get out of there. Fast.

"Well this has been fun, but I gotta go upstairs and finish my homework so I can get ready for my date tonight." She quickly closed her mouth after speaking.

"A date?!" Veronica asked, beaming. "You have a date tonight?

"Mom, it's nothing. This boy at the bonfire asked me out. I said yes. We're going to catch a movie."

"A boy?! Who is he?!"

"His name's Ben Applegate. He's in my forensics and lit classes."

Martha quickly spoke up. "Ben Applegate. Runningback. Sweet kid. He was in my class my first year of teaching. I hope his paste-eating problem has gone away."

Ben laughed as they pulled out of the driveway. "Really? She said that?"

"Yep. Didn't know you had a problem with eating paste."

"Miss Dunnstock banned Elmer's from the classroom after I tried to ingest half a bottle on my own." The two laughed as a dinging sound came from the dashboard. He groaned. "Damn. Almost out of gas. We should hurry to the station."

He sped, as quickly as he could. He handed her some bills, and hurried her inside. "We have some extra time to kill, so feel free to take your time. Get me a bag of Corn Nuts and a Coke."

"Will do." She smiled and headed in, heading straight for the Corn Nuts.

"Heather Sawyer…"

Heather turned around to see the Slushie man from last night. "It's strange that we keep meeting here."

"Strangeness is a necessary ingredient in beauty."

She raised an eyebrow. "Charles Baudelaire?"

She earned an impressed look from him. "Smart girl."

"Baudelaire is my mother's favorite poet."

"Is it now?"

"If you wish to forget anything on the spot, make a note that this thing is to be remembered."

He squinted his eyes at her. "That's not Charles Baudelaire. That's—"

"Edgar Allen Poe. I know. I actually prefer him to Baudelaire. He was the inspiration for Baudelaire, after all."

He could only stare at her, astonished. "Looks like you've been taught well." He took another sip of his slushie. She picked out a bag of BQ Corn Nuts and a Coke before taking a box of candy.

"So you like to read?" He asked.

"I guess I'm like my mother that way. I love poetry, but I'm known to enjoy a classic. I'm actually reading Moby Dick."

His eyes widened. "Are you now?"

"Someone gave it to me for my birthday. Was sitting on my doorstep waiting for me the other night. It's off to a slow start, but I still have faith." She grabbed a Dr. Pepper. She could see Ben waiting outside, all patiently and such. She had to hurry. She got to the counter. Mr. Slurpee followed.

"You know, I uh..I never caught your name." She handed the bill to the cashier.

He snorted. "I'm guessing you don't talk to your mother much about her high school experience, do you?"

"I'm guessing you don't spend much time out of the 7-Eleven, do you?"

He laughed. "Touche. You are really a miniature version of your mother back in the day." He saw her waiting for him to answer her original request, and he sighed. "She'll for sure remember my name."

"Can't remember if I don't know it."

"You got sass, kid." He gave out a long slurp before finally putting Heather's anticipation to rest.

"My name is Jason Dean."

 **Thanks for reading! Sorry it took me forever to write this so I made this a longer chapter. Hopefully I'll get better at updating this story. I love reviews! They help me learn more about my readers and what they're thinking as they read! So comment/review! I'd love to hear from you guys!**


	4. Chapter 4

_**September 3, 2007**_

 _ **Dear Diary,**_

 _ **It's been over a month since my last entry.**_

 _ **Oops.**_

 _ **The past month has been awesome though! I think I've made a new best friend with Carol Lynn. She's super fun, and we love spending time together. When we have free time, we hang at each other's houses. We usually spend time at Carol Lynn's, since Ben is next door.**_

 _ **As for Ben. After several dates, Ben decided we needed to put a label on it. He's so sweet. Always holding my hand and never afraid to show me off. It's awesome, being the girlfriend and best friend of the two most popular people in school. I go to all the football games with Carol Lynn to support my linebacker boyfriend and Lexi, who is on the cheer squad. They've helped me gain so any new friends, and even got me in the yearbook committee and the school newspaper. It keeps me incredibly busy, so between that and my newly found social life, I haven't had much time for the 7-Eleven.**_

 _ **Speaking of, I haven't gotten around to asking Mom about Jason Dean. With wedding planning and work, as well as Grandma's chemo, she's been too frazzled to think straight. She even gave me the car to take to school today, which is something she never does. I told her about how Ben had practice and Carol Lynn was in Cleveland for an SGA field trip. So I was asking her to pick me up. Instead she handed me her keys. I've never been allowed to drive to school in her car. Phil even promised to buy me a car as an early graduation present. Still, I didn't question it.**_

Heather stuffed her diary in her locker in exchange for her backpack just as she saw Ben approaching her.

"Hey, girlfriend."

She blushed and shut her locker. "Well hello, boyfriend."

"How about I escort you to your vehicle?"

"Don't you have practice?"

"Not for another four minutes."

Heather blushed as she drove off campus. Ben had walked her to her car, but not before grabbing her and getting a decent make out sesh before he had to run to the locker room. Ben may have been the best kisser she had ever had, and better than any guy she had attempted to date. She didn't know, maybe this might be the one. Maybe not THE ONE, but the one who might win her virginity over. Though, hearing her mom's stories on teen pregnancy, Ben would have to work hard to make her a dead girl walking.

She made her way downtown, just as her stomach rumbled. Jesus, was there a demon living in there? She'd be home soon enough. Still...

She stopped at the 7-Eleven, before looking around. She had forgotten her purse in her locker, so no money for goodies. She sighed, and put the key back into the ignition. Unfortunately for her, the car didn't start. She tried again. And again. And again. But the car would not get going. Trying not to panic, she began searching for her phone. She'd call Mom, or a tow service. Yeah, no harm done.

Then she realized.

Her Nokia was in her purse.

The purse was in her locker.

Heather slammed her head on the steering wheel. "Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw..."

Her breathing getting heavy, she constantly tried turning the key again and again and again. When it magically didn't start working the eighth time, Heather, terrified, started crying out of panic.

"Greetings and salutations," A familiar voice called to her.

She looked up to see none other than Jason Dean. Who else could someone suspect? She _wa_ _s_ at the 7-Eleven. He saw her tear-stained face and he sauntered over to the car. "Everything alright?"

She sniffled. "I...I don't know. I can't get my mom's car to start, and I don't have my phone, or money..."

He put a halting hand in front of her. "Hey. Hey. Calm down. Heather, get out of the car for a minute."

She looked at him.

"It's okay. I promise."

She sighed and jumped out of the car. He reached through the window frame and turned the key to turn the car off. He tossed Heather the keys before guiding her into the store. He rushed to the back of the store, making a slushie. He quickly rushed up and hastily paid for it. Heather rubbed under her eyes, trying to prevent her makeup from running. A shaky breath came out of her. Her mom was going to kill her. She had left her phone, which her mom made her always keep on her in case of emergencies. She was far from home with no lifeline. She debated asking Mr. Dean or the 7-Eleven employee to see if she could use a phone, but she didn't know her mom's new cell number or her work number. Hell she didn't even know where she lived. Ben and Carol Lynn had gotten to her house using her mom's directions, which had been texted to her. She was so screwed. She began panicking.

"Here," He placed the slushie into her hands. "Drink this. Fast. I promise it will help."

She obeyed, gaining a painful brain freeze. "OH MY GOD!"

He smirked. "Better?"

"Slightly."

"Good. How about if I make sure your car is taken care of, and then I take you home? I'm guessing you don't want your mom to find out about this."

She nodded and he lead her to a black Ford Escape. He opened the passenger door for her. He made sure Veronica's car doors were all locked before jumping inside the driver's seat of the Escape.

"You mind if I make a stop at my work first? I'm on my lunchbreak and I need to tell my coworkers I'll be gone."

"You know Mr. Dean—"

"Oh god no I'm not not old or my father. J.D. please."

" _JD_ you really don't have to do this for me."

"Nonsense. I'd do anything for Veronica and her family."

 _ **Hey guys! I'm not uploading between the hours of 12 and 5 AM. Go me! Be sure to leave a review or comment! I want to know where you guys think JD works, what his life is like, etc. I love hearing from readers! Have an awesome day!**_


	5. Chapter 5

Veronica flipped furiously through the file as she gnawed on a slice of liverwurst. She had to reviewing, do an interview, write a statement, and then she could go home. Once she was home she would have to cook Heather dinner and call Phil to discuss wedding plans. For Veronica, the work never stopped.

"Enjoying your _'pate?'_ " A snarky spirit of Heather Chandler barked at her.

Veronica did her best to ignore her and continue working.

"Well I'm going to enjoy the taste of drain cleaner for eternity, but I'm not complaining."

Veronica flipped the page. Heather sat on her desk and crossed her desk.

"You know, that kid of yours is probably enjoying a healthy-sized portion of linebacker right now."

"Shut up Heather," Veronica spat without even looking up.

"If she's anything like you, she's probably doing the dirty wherever there isn't adult supervision. "

"Ben is at practice, and Heather knows not to screw around. She's much smarter than we were. Besides, I trust Ben. He's a wholesome boy."

"Sure, you'll think that until you catch that ' _wholesome boy'_ trying to explore her candy store."

"Or having a swordfight in her mouth," Ram's ghost interjected.

Kurt's afterlife entity laughed. " What I wouldn't give to have a swordfight in Heather Sawyer."

"Punch it in!"

Suddenly feeling threatened, Veronica picked her work phone. She dialed her daughter's cell phone number. She anxiously twisted the cord with her fingers as she listened to it ring on the other line. After almost a full minute, she heard the following:

"You've reached Heather Sawyer. Be sure to leave a message—"

She quickly slammed the phone onto the receiver. The three ghosts from hell were just making her paranoid. Nothing was wrong. Heather was not off sleeping with Ben, she was safe.

So she hoped.

Meanwhile, Heather was picking at her bracelet as JD drove. They had only been in the car for a total five minutes, but she had managed an awkward pause lasting as much.

"So," JD said, breaking the silence. "Did you finish Moby Dick?"

"Yeah, I did. It was good, but it must have been a used copy. There were underlined passages and the weirdest words were annotated and highlighted."

"Oh really?"

"I'm guessing it was for a lit class. You know lit teachers. They analyze everything to an extent where it makes no sense."

JD nodded and continued on driving. Heather then took the time to really look at him for the first time. He was definitely handsome, with strong features. His eyebrows were thicker as if made to frame his eyes perfectly. It made him seem determined. It was obvious he had once been tan, with naturally olive skin, but it was a lighter tone. Almost as if he spent most of his time inside. The way he held the wheel was odd. While his body language read relaxed and at ease, his hand clenched the bottom of the wheel tightly. Veins stuck out from his hand and wrist. Though his long black trenchcoat covered most of him, he appeared to have a slightly muscular physique. It didn't scream male model, but simply that he took care of himself. His eyes remained focused on the road as a downpour of rain suddenly hit the car. She watched as the rain came down in buckets full, making it nearly impossible to see. JD seemed unfazed.

"How's your mom been?" JD asked.

"Good. Stressed, but otherwise good."

"And your dad?"

 _Good question._

"Don't know. Never met him. Supposedly my mom isn't sure she really knows," she admitted. "If she does know, it'll be a hell of a long time before anyone else does."

"She never told you?"

"Nope. after the Suicide Ring, Mom claimed to have slept around to cope. She says no boy at that school could have handled a baby."

He gave a long pause before responding. "I see."

"Sounds like you know something different."

He laughed. "Well, Westerburg was a small school—"

Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes. He quickly flung his right arm out as a safety bar for Heather, so she'd recoil backward as the car lurched forward. From the windshield she could see a car that had at last minute come to a halt.

JD let out a held breath before exclaiming "Shit!" and honking at the car in front of him. He growled before calming down. He glanced over at her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

Breath slightly shaking, she nodded. He resumed driving, eyes laser focused on the road ahead of him. "Sorry, I can barely see anything in this rain. Luckily, we're close."

She sipped the Slurpee he had gotten her, enjoying the sweet frozen rush it gave her. Getting lost in the pain helped her forget the shit she'd be facing once she got home.

"That slushie helping at all?" JD asked.

"A lot, thanks."

He nodded, and continued on. With that, he parked in a tiny parking lot. In front of them was a tiny two-story building, advertising a private investigator's firm.

"You're a PI?"

He shrugged. "So I've been told." He said it like it was nothing. He took off his long, black trench coat and holding it above his head like a makeshift umbrella. He rushed to her door and opened it for her. "Quick, get under it!"

She leaped out and obeyed. He held the coat above her head, showing no regards about himself. He ran with her into the building. He was now soaking wet. "I left my umbrella upstairs," he explained. He rushed her into the elevator. His hair, grey t-shirt, and jeans were drenched and clinging to him. The trench coat dripped onto the carpeted elevator floor.

"Thank you for keeping me dry, but you really didn't have to—"

"It's cool. I have a change of clothes in my office. No reason you should get that nice outfit of yours ruined."

The elevator doors parted, and an elderly woman stood, waiting. "Mr. Dean!"

He smiled. "Mrs. Thatcher. What can I do you for?"

The woman appeared frantic. Her hands shook as she followed him out of the elevator. JD made sure to gently nudge Heather to keep her moving. Mrs. Thatcher chased after them. "My husband is still missing! Nobody is giving me any information!"

JD was unbelievably calm. "I'm sorry, I don't have any information."

"But it's been days! His car is gone too!" She looked at him. "Dear, you're sopping wet."

He nodded. "I left my umbrella in my office."

She trailed behind him. "Well you've been gone a long while. I got here at three-oh-five." For the first time, she noticed Heather. She smiled. "Is this your daughter?!"

"Oh no—"

"She looks _just_ like you!" She giggled gleefully. That made Heather highly uncomfortable. She barely knew JD, and this lady was already pinning them as kin. If he was her father, she would know. She would easily be able to see the resemblance and know. This lady was crazy.

"Mrs. Thatcher, this is Heather. Could you stay with her for a minute?" He asked as he unlocked the door to his office before shutting himself inside.

The old lady turned to her and smiled. She offered Heather a peppermint candy from her purse, which she kindly declined.

"So how old are you, honey?"

"Seventeen."

"My goodness. You visiting your father for the weekend?"

She was about to correct her that is was only Tuesday, when JD popped his head out. "Heather, can I see you for a minute? I'll be right with you, Mrs. Thatcher."

"Take your time sweetie," she chimed.

Heather followed him inside. His office was maybe half the size of her mom's and wasn't nearly as prestigious. His degrees weren't framed on the walls like hers. Instead, a map is posted on a corkboard, a dartboard at the back of the room. Post-it notes make a cluster next to the map. On his desk is a stress ball designed to look like a bomb with a fuse. Next to it is a pencil case, and a stack of papers. a computer sits at the edge of the desk. Behind the desk was file cabinet, next to it a bookshelf filled with classic literature.

"Sorry about Mrs. Thatcher," he said. He was wearing a new outfit. Now a _black_ shirt and a dry set of jeans. "She's in the early stages of Alzheimer's. Her husband died a year ago in a car accident and she keeps forgetting. When she first came up to me, I assumed it was a real case until her son came looking for her. Apparently she has my address on her fridge and comes up here whenever she doesn't remember her husband's death for several days. I already called her son, he'll be here soon."

"She also said that we—"

"Not the first time she's asked if someone is my sibling, spouse, or child. I was walking a client out last week and she said we made such a lovely married couple. Then apparently I looked 'just like' her sister, who she assumed to be _my_ sister. Don't think much of it, kid."

"Oh."

He hands her a phonebook and his cellphone. "Call the tow truck service, and describe your car. They'll tow it back to your place. Bill it to me."

She stopped. "Oh no. I can't do that—"

"Heather, it's fine. Do you really want your stressed out mom to find out? The car won't start tomorrow and she'll think it was an accident. If you bring it home she'll think you did something."

He wasn't wrong. When Veronica was stressed she'd blame anybody for anything. Heather didn't feel like being grounded.

"I'll pay you back. Every cent. I'll get a job and get every dollar back to you."

He smiled. "I have a different proposition for you. I'm looking for an assistant. You could fill in part-time until I found one. I'd pay you pretty decently, and I could take bits off your paycheck until I was paid back."

She took a moment to think on it. This man had not only offered her a job, but given her a free towing, boughten her slushies, and helping her out. What was this guy's angle? Did he have a crush on her mom or something?

"Why are you being so nice?"

He cocked his head. "Excuse me?"

"You're being unbelievably kind."

"Me?" He smirked and sat behind the desk. "I believe in helping when it is needed. I know how good jobs can look on college applications. I need an assistant. It works out. You know, I know what it's like to be in your shoes. Starting your senior year in a new place, being raised by a single parent, feeling like you're all alone in the world."

She looked down, feeling his words as truth. A knock came at his door. A man around his age emerged, smiling nervously.

"Mike," JD greeted.

"Mr. Dean, I just wanted to apologize and thank you again. I went out to pick up groceries and I come back to discover that her car is gone. Hopefully this will be the last time."

"I hope so. Listen Mike I have some business to finish up and—"

"Oh so sorry! I'll take my mother home now. Thanks again!"

Mike Thatcher shut the door and JD returned his focus to Heather.

"So do we have a deal?"

 _ **Hey guys! Thanks for reading! I just wanted to give me a quick shoutout to** **TooApatheticToCare for helping me brainstorm or this chapter and the future. It's not entirely revealed yet, there is still much to discover about the characters! Keep the comments coming guys! It makes my day to read them! Can anyone name a few Heathers references I've used thus far? Previous chapters included? What are your opinions n the story? What do you think is going to happen? I love your feedback! Have a "very" day guys!**_


	6. Chapter 6

Heather scrambled to find her cellphone, which had been ringing in her locker for the past two minutes straight. She tore apart the entire space, digging for little slide phone. She finally fished it out of the bottom of her backpack in time to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hi!" A perky voice sang on the other end.

"Lexi? Why are you calling me?"

"I was afraid I wouldn't catch you before you left. Carol Lynn and I are heading over to Starbucks after school. Ben says he's down if you are."

Starbucks sounded awesome, but she started work today. Ben knew that. He was her ride. After JD had convinced Heather to take the job, he had taken her home, as promised. Her mom's car was already in the driveway.

"Thank you again, for everything." She said politely as she grabbed her backpack.

"Anytime."

She tried to open the door, but it was locked. "Could you unlock the door?"

"Heather, can you do me a favor?"

"Um yeah, sure."

"Why don' we keep this job between us? Just for a little bit." He must have been able to tell her confusion, and clarified. "You said she's been overly stressed out lately, and if she's the Veronica I remember, any more information will lead to an irrational meltdown."

Damn, he was right.

"Seems like she hasn't changed since high school," Heather half-joked.

"I'll drive you if you need a ride back and forth," he said as he passed her his business card with his cellphone number on it.

"Thanks, but I think I can bribe my boyfriend to drive me."

"Alright then. See you tomorrow a three-fifteen."

Not telling Veronica about the car and the job wasn't as hard as Heather expected it to be. Her mom came home, on the phone with Phil. Her conversation with him lasted through her making dinner, eating dinner, and going to bed. She wouldn't figure out the car situation until she left for work the next morning, and by then Heather would already be at school. Once Heather's mom went to bed, she did a three-way with Ben and the Fulbright sisters, explaining what had happened. Ben offered to drive her to work.

"So you're working for a PI?" Lexi had asked.

"Just until I can pay him back for the tow job."

"Sounds like he had one hell of a crush on your mom back in the day," Carol Lynn suggested.

"A lot of people did from I hear. My mom was in the most popular clique in the school. She basically ran Westerburg the last half of her senior year. "

"I just can't believe you were stranded," Ben growled.

"Bet he still has a crush on your mom," Carol Lynn laughed.

They all should know she had work. "You guys know I have work,"Heather said to Lexi. "Raincheck on Starbucks?"

"KK! Tootles!" The line went dead, and Heather grabbed her backpack and put her cellphone in the back pocket of her jeans.

By the time she looked up, a little ginger girl stood in front of her. She seemed familiar, but not to where Heather could name where she recognized her from or even her name.

"Can I help—"

"You're Ben Applegate's girlfriend, right?" The girl asked bluntly.

She giggled nervously and adjusted he backpack strap. "Yep, that's me."

"If you know what's good for you, stay away from him."

Was this little soul-stealer threatening her? "What's your damage?"

 **(AN: The writer of this story is a redhead, so my fellow ginga ninjas don't take this into offense)**

"I'm giving you some advice. Ben is bad news. Your relationship won't end well for you if you stay with him."

"Who are you?"

"Hey I just wanted to help you out. I know you're new and don't know about Ben's reputation around here. Gotta go." She whipped around, scurrying away.

Ben then appeared, kissing her temple and slinging his arm across her shoulders. "What's up? You okay?"

On the way to the car she explained the event to him, and he sighed. "Monica Walker. She's a nobody. She got mad that I didn't take her to Junior Prom last year and so she's hellbent on scaring off any girl I look at. He's threatened Carol Lynn and Lexi twice each."

"You don't seem too mad," she said.

"I just feel sorry for her. She can't let go of this silly crush on me. She's a nobody. She's sort of friendless. She's that weird girl."

She left that topic at that. "And you said you were taking me to work."

"I am. Lexi called you about the Starbucks thing didn't she? I told her yes and then remembered."

"Oh."

"Do you mind if I go after I drop you off? A few of the guys are coming too, and I'm trying to set one of them up with one of Carol Lynn's friends."

"Oh yeah, go ahead."

Before she even knew it, they were pulling up at the building. He kissed her. "Have a good time at work."

Work, turned out to be a breeze. JD was waiting for her at his office door. A new desk had been set by the door, complete with a phone and everything. He explained that her job would consist of mainly answering phone, penciling in his schedule, etc. She was glorified secretary. He said she'd have plenty of time to do her homework and stuff.

"My door will be open unless I'm with a client or I'm in deep thinking. So if it's shut, just knock. Okay?"

"Coolio."

He locked himself up in his office, and Heather dug out her diary.

 _October 4, 2007_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _First day of work and it's pretty much awesome! I literally get paid to do almost nothing!_

 _Oh, and note to self: Stay the hell away from Monica Walker. That sociopathic soul-stealer is the equivalent of social suicide. For some reason she's hellbent on ruining me and Ben's relationship. Ben doesn't seem to worried by it so I guess I shouldn't be either._

 _On another note, my boss, JD, obviously still has the hots for my mom. I should probs crush his dreams and say she's engaged so he'll stop taking about her. From what I've learned, once a grown man learns that the girl they like is taken, they back the fuck off. He definitely knows something though. Hell, he might even know who my father is. I don't know if I really want to know though. If Mom didn't want me to know, she probably had good reason. Still, it'd be interesting to hear about my mom in high school. He offered to drive me home today, so maybe I'll ask him about it on the way home._

On the way home, JD continued to ask questions.

"So what does your mom do now?"

"She's a lawyer."

He laughed. "I always said she'd _marry_ a lawyer, not become one. What a cool ironic twist."

"Were you guys friends in high school?"

"You could say that. We dated our senior year. We weren't serious or anything, we just dated for a few months."

"What happened?"

"Her best friend and worst enemy killed himself. Her friends turned on her. She was handling too much for a relationship. I kind of tried to blow... her off at a pep rally, and we haven't spoken since. I moved right after that."

JD had dated her mom? It was weird to think of Veronica Sawyer in a relationship with anyone but Phil. For a second she contemplated a thought. Did she sleep with JD? Could there be any chance—

No. Mom said she slept around with several guys at a time. JD had asked how her dad was like he knew him. He may not be her father, but he probably knew who was. Besides, she would know by now if she was related to JD. There would have to be some similarities, and she clearly didn't see any resemblance between the two of them.

"It's weird to think of her with anyone except Phil," Heather finally said.

"Phil?"

"Her fiance. They're getting married next month, right after Thanksgiving." She examined his face. If he was upset by it, he was an excellent actor.

"That's good for her." He pulled up. "Here's your stop."

He asked for her cellphone number, so he could contact her outside the office in an emergency. She quickly gave it to him and shuffled out.

—

 _October 31, 2007_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Over the past month I have absolutely loved everything going on! Mom is driving up to Phil's for the weekend, I have a costume party at the Fulbrights' tonight where Ben and I are supposed to meet up. Grandma is even letting me borrow her car for the weekend! Everything is going great!_

"Heather?"

JD poked his out from his office. He put a paper on her desk. "Can you forge my signature on this? My hand is cramping from signing so many documents today. You might need to learn my signature anyway, you may have to do this frequently."

"Isn't forging illegal?"

"Not when the signature's owner asks you to."

Heather didn't do many forgeries, she occasionally did her mother's when she forgot to ask her to sign a paper for school.

"I don't know how to forge handwriting. I've only done my mom's."

"A Sawyer who can't forge handwriting? I refuse to believe that. That was like your mom's most infamous skill. Try it."

She looked at the handwriting at the top of the page and scribbled.

"Perfect! Thanks kid!" He folded the paper up. "So you excited for the party tonight?"

It was sad how close she was becoming to JD. He talked to her more than her mom did. He had driven her home everyday for almost a month and her mom was still yet to notice. The wedding and her grandmother had her mom all frazzled.

"Yeah. Ben and I are going as Wonder Woman and Superman."

"That should be fun. Do you need to pick up anything on the way home?"

"Nope. I should be fine, thanks though."

He nodded and disappeared into his office. Soon after, the elevator door opened and Mrs. Thatcher rushed out. This was the third time this week.

"Heather!" Mrs. Thatcher had learned her name, but nothing much beyond that. "Could you please get your father?! Gerald hasn't come home yet!"

She sighed and whipped out a fake smile. "Just one moment, Mrs. Thatcher." She knocked on JD's door.

"Come in. "

She walked in. JD was throwing darts from his desk, which was known as part of his thought process. Whenever he'd hit the center, he'd made the sound of something blowing up.

He hit center a lot.

"Mrs. Thatcher is here again."

He growled and picked up his phone, dialing her son's number. "He seriously needs to put that woman in a home. Entertain her for a few minutes, would you?"

That night Heather was sitting in the living room, waiting for Ben to make his appearance. Veronica was working late, and had graciously extended Heather's curfew for the night.

Ben had burst in without even knocking, a habit that had increasingly begun to irritate the hell out of her mother. "What up Wonder Woman?!"

She laughed and walked up to him. "Could your costume get any tighter?"

He gave her a look. "I could say the same thing about you."

The best Wonder Woman costume she could find consisted of a tight red corset, a short flowy blue skirt, and over the knee boots. The traditional armbands and headpiece were with it, a long with thigh high stockings and a red choker that became her cape in the back. It was way too little fabric, but the only thing she could find.

"Ready to go?"

—

This would be the last party she would ever attend ever.

Ben and Carol Lynn were first to get drunk together. Carol Lynn was Bad Sandy from Grease, and the boy paying Danny had gotten sick last minute. It was obvious that Carol Lynn and Ben were each other's drinking buddies, as they knew exactly how much the other person needed to get drunk.

Lexi and her seemed to be the only sober people there. Lexi, in her little Tinkerbell outfit, was playing the role of party mom, sending people home before they were too drunk to drive. Carol Lynn turned up "You're The One That I Want" at full volume and drunkenly tried to do the whole Olivia Newton-John choreography with Ben.

"She's a mess," Lexi sighed and picked up an empty bottle. "I don't know what she's going to do without me next year."

The song ended, and Ben grabbed Heather and pulled her to him.

"Leeeeeeet's dance," he slurred.

"Ben, you've had a little—"

His hands began to slide south of the equator, trying to get under her skirt.

"Hey. Ben."

He looked at her. "Come on, babe."

"No."

He still didn't stop. He aggressively groped at her, trying to drag her into a room. "Ben stop!"

He was stronger than her, and was not taking no for an answer. "Oh come on Heather." He pinned her against the wall. Her heart began to race in terror.

"No no no!" She pushed him away and took off running.

"HEATHER!" Ben cried out. He was chasing after her.

"Lexi!"

She hugged Lexi tightly. "Is there anyone sober enough to drive?"

"Ben's drunk?"

"He's a hornocerous."

She bit her lip. "Um...I don't know anyone. Sorry."

"I have to go home."

"You are welcome to spend the night—"

"NO, Lex. I need to leave. NOW."

She looked at her apologetically. Heather sighed and ran out of the house. She ran as fast as she could until she couldn't run was freezing cold outside in that costume, shivering whenever the breeze hit her. She couldn't call her mom, or her grandparents. Phil was hours away. She desperately scrolled through her contacts, trying not to cry. She called the only person who would pick up.

"Hello?"

She sniffled.

"Heather?"

Her voice broke as she spoke."Can you come pick me up?"

A pause. "Where are you?"

She gave him the address.

"Heather, stay on the phone, okay?"

He talked to her, about what she saw, and where to stand until his car pulled up. He hung up and leaped out of the car. He ran over and put a gentle hand on her arm.

"You okay?"

She nodded and he sighed. "You're shivering." JD peeled off his trenchcoat and put it around her shoulders. She suddenly felt even more embarrassed about the costume. She tugged the coat completely over herself, hoping JD wouldn't have any disapproving looks or comments about her clothing choices.

"What happened?" He asked.

She began telling him about Ben's behavior and how he had chased her. She was crying now, from shock and embarrassment. She was spooked. He gave her a hug, but quickly pulled away. Before either of them could comment on it, he ushered her into the car.

"Where do you want me to take you?" He asked as he got in.

She tugged the coat closer to shut it at her chest. Her mom would have a heart attack at her costume, and kill her for going to a party with alcohol. "My mom will kill me if she sees me like this."

He nodded. "Anywhere specific in mind you want to hide at?"

She shook her head. Usually when she was avoiding coming home she'd go to Carol Lynn's, which wasn't the smartest idea at the moment.

"I might have a place in mind."

* * *

 _ **Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been posting, I've been sick and to to be frank I didn't have many ideas for this chapter in the beginning. Now this has become one of my longest chapters! So much going on! I really want to hear your thoughts and predictions! Where will JD take her? What's with Monica? I feel like I've sprinkled in one too many references from the original. Can you name some of the nods to the original I've put in all the chapters so far? I'm also up for a Q and A! Interacting with you guys is awesome!**_

 _ **Fun facts:**_

 _ **1\. Ben Applegate is named after Jeremy Applegate, who was in the original 1988 film. His character, Peter Dawson said, "I don't think I could handle suicide," while attending the funeral of Heather Chandler. Jeremy Applegate himself committed suicide in 2000.**_

 _ **2\. Monica Walker was named after Kim Walker, the original Heather Chandler in the film. In the movie, Heather says, "Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast?" Kim Walker herself died of a brain tumor in 2001.**_

 _ **3\. Monica's first name comes from the TV show "FRIENDS," where one of the main characters name is Monica, and she marries a man named Chandler, who is also a main character in the series.**_

 _ **4\. Martha is not over Ram Sweeney's death at all. She is a kindergarten teacher and her pen name for her romantic novel is "M. Sweeney" In her romance novel the kindergarten teacher has an affair with a spy. Everyone thinks the spy is gay but the kindergarten teacher doesn't. At the end of the novel they sit and cuddle watching The Princess Bride. Their child draws pictures of a horse with wings.**_

 _ **That's all for now. Have a great day guys!**_


	7. Chapter 7

The car was filled with an awkward silence as JD drove. He stared straight ahead, glancing over at her from time to time. She was staring at her hands, Her phone was buzzing like crazy. She flipped it open to see several texts from Ben. At first it was a string of messages of him apologizing, then quickly turned into threats with awful name calling. She began tearing up. They stopped at a red light, and the jerking of the car caused her to burst into tears. Once the crying has started, it made it nearly impossible for her to stop. JD silently pulled over on a street corner.

He put the car into park, making it obvious he was stopping for her to cry it out. She broke down, ultimately failing to maintain control of her emotions. He hesitated for a moment before gently rubbing her back. She sobbed for a few minutes before sniffling. "Sorry for the waterworks."

He kept on driving. "It's cool." He parked. "Come on, you''ll feel better."

"No 7-Eleven?" She half-joked.

"I debated it," he admitted. "I decided against it because I didn't want to leave you in the car alone." He patted her leg. "Come on, let's go inside."

They were stopped at a house with a black mailbox and a blue flag. The area surrounding the actual house was covered with briars. It wasn't the most well-kept home on the outside, but Heather had a hint that it was intentional.

He opened her car door and helped her out. He led her inside. The house was spanking clean. Almost too clean. Everything had a place, and was organized accordingly. I was drastically different from the exterior appearance.

"Home sweet home," he muttered.

In any other situation, her boss taking her back to his home would be inappropriate and cause discomfort. In this situation though, it was sweet. It was better than facing her mother. "Your wife okay with this?"

He laughed. "Pretty sure she will be, since I've never been married. More married to my job."

"Oh," she said as she clenched the coat at her chest.

"Stay here," he politely ordered. He hurried upstairs. She scanned the room for pictures or items to tell her more about his life, but all she saw were books similar to the ones in his office along with a movie collection. Nothing exactly screamed "family man" or "vast social life."

"Here." JD suddenly appeared next to her holding a t-shirt. "Thought you'd be more comfortable covering your..."

She got the message. "Thank you."

He directed her to the downstairs bathroom, where she quickly changed into the t-shirt before coming out and returning his trench coat to him.

"Have you eaten?" He asked.

She shook her head. It was still fairly early in the night. She had planned to eat at Carol Lynn's (they had ordered twelve pizzas) but had left before she could grab a bite.

"I'll make you something. You can go to the living room and watch TV."

She listened, putting the last thing left on. JD made noise in the kitchen, concocting something. It was fairly early, her mom would be home drinking red wine and reading cases on the couch and watching the news. She left a bowl on the porch for trick-or-treaters because she liked her private time. No doubt if Heather walked in the door at this time, she'd be getting more than just an earful for the slutty costume. That was something she was not ready to handle tonight.

Twenty minutes later, she heard the sound of ceramic hitting wood. She turned to see him laying down two plates of food. She walked over. "Pasta. Nice."

"It's about the only thing I know how to cook. I learned how to make it when my mom died."

"Oh my god. I am so—"

"Don't be. She died years ago."

She didn't know what to say afterward, so she simply began eating. "This is amazing!"

"Thank you.

She began to relax, and after a bit of quietly eating, the two fell into a full-length conversation.

"Journalism?" He asked.

"I've always loved writing. Creative writing is my jam, but it isn't offered at this school. My old school had it. Journalism is my career fallback anyway. Thought I'd better practice." She tried to ignore the phone furiously buzzing on her belt. "So what made you become a private investigator?"

He wiped at his mouth before collecting the now empty plates. "I don't know, I guess I was sort of drawn to knowing what no one else does. It's probably not going to be my job forever, but it's cool."

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to own my own 7-Eleven or something like that."

"You want to own a 7-Eleven?"

"Why not? I could call it something lame like Shakey's Snack Shack if it makes you feel better," he said unapologetically. "You see, for me it's not just a convenience store. When I was growing up, there was an awful lot of tension at home. Mom was gone. Dad was a mess. So I'd walk to the 7-Eleven, drink a slushie, and I'd suddenly feel better. Eventually, it became my safe place. Dad moved us around a lot, but anywhere I went, I still had the 7-Eleven to run to. Thought I could run one that could become some other kid's safe place." He didn't look at her the whole time he spoke. Instead he rinsed the dishes and put them into the dishwasher. Then he stared at the empty sink.

"I get that."

He took her to the couch and threw on a movie. They watched it together, and for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel pressure or worry or stress. She felt normal. She didn't have to try to fit in, she didn't feel parental pressure to be the best all the time. For those few hours, she was a kid.

Her mom eventually texted her about the upcoming curfew, and suddenly she was back in reality. JD fully understood and drove her home. She had to thank him.

"Thank you so much, for everything. For paying on my birthday, helping me with my mom's car, the job, everything tonight—"

"Don't sweat it kid. Really. Just know you can call me if you ever need anything."

"Thanks, JD." She looked down to realize that she was still in his shirt.

"Hold onto it," he said, noticing as well. "Just in case your mom sees you come in. You can bring it to me later."

"Thanks again."

"Anytime."

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Mom didn't notice a thing on Halloween. Surprise surprise._

 _I've spent the remainder of the week pretty much ignoring Ben. Carol Lynn, very hungover, apologized heavily at school the next day. Ben on the other hand, hasn't been worth my time. He's passed me plenty of notes in Forensics, and had even tried to get Carol Lynn to get a note to me in lit when I began ripping up the notes before even reading them. After that failed he tried to corner me in the hallway, but I barely got away. I've spent the last two days eating in the journalism classroom to avoid him. JD has been nice enough to take me from school to work to home the past two days just so I could avoid him. I don't know whether I'm still mad at him or afraid of him, but I want some space to figure out my feelings._

 _JD's been so incredibly awesome to me. I think I'm really starting to like him, maybe even more than Phil. Phil was so focused on getting me to like him that he didn't build a legitimate relationship with me. JD seemed to actually care about what I'm feeling outside of seeing him. Maybe if things don't work out between Mom and Phil (which of course it will, they're made for each other), I'll introduce Mom to JD._

Heather shut her diary and slipped it into her bag. Carol Lynn had offered to drive her to work, stopping at Starbucks on the way. She had been first to get her order, so while the Fulbrights were in the bathroom and ordering, she wrote in her diary.

Carol Lynn sat beside her, frappuccino in hand. Lexi was still waiting for her drink.

"Can we talk?" She asked.

"Sure."

Carol Lynn tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and played with her purple bracelet. "Ben's been at my house every day since Halloween—"

"Which was two days ago, Care."

"Look, Heather. He's been begging for me to help get you two back. He feels like shit for what happened, and he's desperate for a second chance."

"Do you think he deserves it?"

She shrugged. "If anything, it's my fault for getting him wasted. He's a complete horndog when he's trashed." She wasn't looking at her, but playing her her straw now. Her deep violet nail polish shined as the light hit it. "He's a really sweet guy. He loves you, H. I wouldn't waste it. Almost every girl in school wants him."

Heather raised her eyebrow. "What he did was inexcusable."

"It really was." She was repeatedly ramming her straw to the bottom of the cup. "He really just can't keep it in his pants." She swirled the drink and looked at her. "When he's drunk, I mean." She flashed her a smile. "Come on. He really wants to apologize and make it up to you. Plus you're like my sister and he's like my brother. My two best friends got together, and it felt like we were one happy family. It's weird now. "

Carol Lynn had just called her her best friend. She had no clue how much that meant to Heather. After months of her having no friends, she'd made a best friend out of her Senior Class President and had been introduced to all her friends because of Ben and the Fulbright sisters. She had to try, for her.

"I'll think about it," Heather compromised.

Suddenly Lexi bounced over. "OMG you won't believe—"

Her older sister was quick to cut her off. "We gotta boogie if we're getting Heather to work on time."

Lexi rolled her lips together and inward. "Oh yeah, of course.

JD passed her a few more papers to forge. Heather was now efficient at his signature, and did it rapidly without much effort. He smiled with pride. "Look at you. You're a natural."

She returned the smile. "It's easier than I thought."

She heard the elevator door ding and open to reveal none other than the Westerburg runningback. "Heather!"

"Ben." It came out like a breath, but JD seemed to have heard her. He made his way t the teenage boy stepping into the hallway. "Whoa. What's your business here, kid?"

"I'm here to see my girl—"

JD cut him short. "Not right now. Maybe not ever. You go home."

"Please man. I really need to talk to—"

"Unless you have five-thousand bucks to see me for a private investigation you need to get lost."

Ben ignored JD and began to make his way to Heather's desk. JD grabbed him and whispered something in his ear. Ben's eyes widened, and faster than you could blink, he was gone.

"You okay? JD asked, appearing beside her. She nodded and shuffled papers around. JD went into his office.

Not a minute later, a young woman in red rushed over to Heather's desk.

"Hello, I'm wondering if Jason Dean is available."

Heather whipped out the appointment book. "Okay, what's your name?"

"My name is Jessica Chandler, he isn't expecting me."

JD's head popped out. "Some ask to see me?"

Ms. Chandler shook his head. "My name is Jessica Chandler. I think I have a case to discuss with you."

He nodded and led her into the room. "Heather hold down the fort for me, okay?"

That night Heather laid on the living room couch watching an episode of CSI. Veronica had left straight from work, and her grandfather had dropped off her grandmother's car to her that night.

The doorbell rang just as the episode was ending. She headed over and opened it. The sound of a car radio filled the air, playing "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis. Ben stood at the door, holding a bouquet of flowers and a teddy bear. He looked a little nervous as he looked at her.

"Heather, I am so sorry for everything on Halloween. It was so stupid to get drunk and try to push you into something you didn't want. No one deserves that. I deserved the shunning at school, the ignored calls, your boss nearly killing me, everything. I know there's nothing I can do to change what happened, but you deserve a real apology. I will do anything it takes to regain your trust and I will never forgive myself. I love you, Heather Virginia Sawyer. Could you ever forgive me?"

This had to be the most cheesy, romcom fashioned, embarrassing apology ever done by man.

It was so incredibly sweet.

She couldn't hide her smile. "Ben, you are so sweet. This is amazing." She slipped her arms around his neck. He moved his around her waist.

"So you'll forgive me?"

She smirked. "Until you royally fuck up again. Which hopefully won't be for a long long time."

She kissed him, and everything felt right in the world again.

Aw screw it, as stupidly cheesy romcom as it just was, she liked it.

* * *

 _ **Hola fellow Heathers fans! Sorry for the mush! I had to reunite Ben and Heather for the time being, and you'd have to go big to be forgiven for something like that. Tell me your thoughts on the story, this chapter, your predictions, etc. Also send me questions, I'd love to answer them! It's so weird to think that people actually read and enjoy my writing! If you guys can name any of the Heathers references (name as many as you can) I've used over the course of this story I'll be sure to give you a shoutout! Speaking of shoutouts, I have to give another one to TooApatheticToCare for giving me the idea for JD's dream of owning a 7-Eleven!**_

 _ **Have an awesome night!**_


	8. Chapter 8

The rest of the weekend went swimmingly. She spent Friday night cuddling with Ben watching Adam Sandler movies until midnight, when his mom texted asking him to come home. Saturday night Carol Lynn slept over, where they had an eighties movie marathon and gossiped. Sunday mom came home and was completely oblivious to Heather's life. All was right in the world again.

By Wednesday, it felt like nothing had ever happened. Ben and Heather were lab partners for their Electrophoresis Lab, giggling and flirting the whole way through. She got to interview Lexi for the school paper while at lunch, and by lit, the tension between Carol Lynn and Ben was now gone. The two were as thick as thieves.

"Mr. Applegate. Miss Fulbright. Settle down please," their lit teacher ordered.

The two sank in their seats. Ms. Whitman walked around the room, passing out papers. "We're going to be taking a break from Frankenstein because to be honest, the book bores the crap out me just as much as it does you. The state says we can't scrap it, so we're just going to take a little break."

The class lit up in rejoice.

"Instead we're doing a two-page writing assignment."

The class sank back.

"I know I know. I wish I could just pretend to show you the movie and have a party until we start Gatsby but the state people are coming at any time and I need my job." Ms. Whitman adjusted her bracelet. "So instead we'll be doing a page on real life heroes. Your assignment is to meet with a hero in your everyday life, whether it be a parent, a mentor, teacher, pastor, and interview them. Then you'll write me a paper about how that person is your real-life hero. Maybe interviewing them and hearing their stories will add a bit of depth to your paper."

The hell kind of assignment is that?

Ms. Whitman gave the rest of the period to the students for planning, which obviously led to them getting into their social groups and talking until their release bell. Heather went to take Ben's hand, but he moved it to grab his books. "Lame assignment, huh?"

Carol Lynn nodded at Ben's question. "I'll probs do it on my mom or something so she lets me get away with more."

"Same," Ben agreed.

Heather was already going between her grandmother and her boss. Her grandmother had fought through so much and had stood so strong, but JD had been there for her and had been a great mentor to her. He acted more like a parent than her actual parent sometimes. She decided to see, depending on whether JD was too busy or if her grandma was feeling well enough.

"Earth to Heather..."

"Heather Virginia Sawyer!"

She quickly snapped out of it. "Hey! You don't get to triple-name me Carol Lynn!"

"I do as your best friend when you're not paying attention."

"Sure, Carol Lynn Elizabeth Fulbright," Ben said to show off.

"Benjamin Thomas Applegate," snapped Carol Lynn right back, teasing. She turned to Heather. "I asked if you wanted to go to a kegger tonight. Ben's parents are out on a retreat with mine. They won't be back until Sunday."

To be honest, Heather didn't want to be anywhere near Carol Lynn and Ben when alcohol was present. She wasn't going to let Halloween repeat itself. "I'd love to, but I have work."

Ben groaned. "You work more than I do. You've had to have paid off that tow job by now. Can't you miss one night?"

"Sorry babe. Tell you what though, I'll miss next weekend and we can go out somewhere."

"That works!" Carol Lynn quickly cut in.

"Oh CL you're welcome to come too!" Heather smiled. "We can get a huge group together."

"I have to go take Lexi home and then head to a student government meeting. Talk to you later?" She said quickly.

Heather twisted a strand of hair. "Yeah, um I guess—"

"Sweet. TTYL!"

She left before Heather could say anything. Ben finally slipped his hand into hers and kissed her neck. "Ready to go?"

...

Ben remained silent during most of the ride, worrying Heather. "Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"You cool?"

He blinked. "Yeah yeah, I'm just thinking." He pulls up to the front. "Have a great time at work."

She went in for a kiss, but instead received a small peck on the cheek.

...

When she showed up, JD's door was shut, and a stack of work was waiting for on her desk. Some things to forge his signature for, others records to be put away and client meetings to be scheduled. She was halfway through when Mrs. Thatcher burst in. Heather paged both JD and Mrs. Thatcher's son.

"Hello, I'm looking for Mr. Dean!"

She smiled at the elderly woman. "Hi Mrs. Thatcher. I'm Heather, remember me?"

She returned the smile, and Heather could tell that her memory was slowly deteriorating. "You must be his daughter. You two look so much alike. Could you get me with your father? My son and husband are missing! I can't find them anywhere."

Heather went through her routine, where she tells her that JD isn't available, then notified her son, and waits until he arrives. Mike provided an excuse that he was in the backyard, along with another apology. He told her that he had her on a waiting list for an assisted living home, so she couldn't sneak out anymore. It was after they had left and Heather was working on homework that JD finally opened his door. Out came him and a woman in red, whom she recognized as Jessica Chandler. She whispered some words to him and shook his hand. She sauntered out and JD leaned against the doorframe. "Hey kiddo," he greeted.

"Hello," she said as she handed him his forged legal documents. He flipped through them. "Shit, you're incredible. I can't tell the difference between yours and mine. "

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Please do. So how was school?"

"Cool I guess. I actually was going to talk to you about an assign—"

 _Ring ring riiiiing._

Heather picked up her cellphone. Her mom was buzzing, and it said she already had two missed calls from her. She gave an apologetic look to JD. "It's my mom." She picked up. "Mom?"

"Heather. Are you home?"

"Not exactly. I'm out," she had yet to tell her mother about her job, and she didn't feel like now was the time.

"Well I need you to go to your grandparents' around five-thirty. I forgot to tell you we're having dinner at their house. So if Ben or Carol Lynn could drop you off that would awesome."

She checked the clock. "Mom that's in half an hour—"

"Gotta go love you! See you there!"

Click. Heather groaned and propped her elbows on her desk, putting her face in her hands before raking them through her hair. She huffed, just before remembering her boss was right there. "Sorry. My mother is quite the frustration."

"I can see that."

"She wants me at my grandparents' in half an hour." She started grabbing her bag and started dialing Ben's number. "Maybe I can get Ben to rush me home."

"No need. I can take you."

"But you have work."

"So do you."

She paused. "Touche."

...

"I'm sorry I didn't start cooking earlier, I took a nap that seemed to last forever," Veronica's mother said as she scurried to the kitchen. "I'm making your favorite. Spaghetti, with lots of oregano."

She watched her scramble around the kitchen. Veronica was quick to intervene. "Mom, it's fine. I can take care of some of it. Why don't you wait with Dad?"

"Oh but—"

 _"Mom,"_ Veronica ordered sternly. "Let me handle this. Dad's in the backyard. Why don't you go wait for Heather and then go sit with him."

Just then, Heather bursts in. "Hey sorry I'm late." She put down her bag and gave her grandmother a hug.

"Hi sweetie!" Mrs. Saywer squeezed her beloved grandchild. "Grandpa is outside, go say hello!"

Heather nodded and headed out the back door. The doorbell rang not a second later. Mrs. Saywer jumped to answer it. Heather began to boil the water, catching on bits and pieces of the conversation.

"It's so wonderful to see you again! You _must_ stay for dinner!"

Veronica put in the pasta and grabbed a plate of porcelain.

"Veronica! Look who's staying for dinner."

"Hey Veronica."

A man, in a black trenchcoat stepped forward. That face. Those eyes. There was no denying it. The plate fell from her hands, crashing to the floor.

 _JD._


	9. Chapter 9

Veronica's eyes were glued to the sight before her. The son of a bitch was alive. How the hell was the douchebag alive?!

The ever-oblivious Mrs. Sawyer beamed and carried on. "Mr. Dean was kind enough to return Heather her jacket. I _had_ to invite him to dinner. We can make enough for five. This will be an excellent chance for you two to reconnect. Mr. Dean, let me reintroduce you to my husband. He's on the croquet lawn with Heather. " She began to usher him away when she noticed the plate. "Oh honey, you need to be more careful. It's like you saw a ghost."

 _More like a skeleton from my closet,_ she thought. _Like an actual skeleton._

...

Veronica stared down her high school ex as they all ate. Mrs. Sawyer gabbed on about arbitrary matters, not seeming to realize that not a soul was paying attention. Not until she said, "So Jason, how did you and Heather meet?"

Suddenly both Veronica and Heather leaned forward to hear his answer. He dabbed at the corner of his mouth with a napkin. "It's a funny story really—"

"Oh really? I'd love to hear it," spat Veronica.

"We met at a 7-Eleven—"

"Surprise surprise."

 _"Mom,"_ Heather warned. Yet it was too late. She was too far deep.

"Do you ever go anywhere else?!"

With that, Heather accidentally dropped her plate onto the floor.

"Sorry!" The teenager cried out as she bent to the floor.

Mrs. Sawyer sighed and sipped her wine. "Thank god I don't use the good china around you people."

"Heather you have _got_ to be more careful!" Veronica scolded.

"Hey, take it easy on her." JD bent down and helped Heather pick up pieces. "I got it, you're okay."

Mrs. Sawyer scarfed down the rest of her food. "Honey, why don't we digest on the back porch and allow the adults to do dishes while the old people and you sit?" She smiled at JD. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all."

With that Veronica's mother rushed her daughter and father outside. Veronica stood, quietly collecting plates before marching to the sink to start washing. She made sure to turn on the high pressure faucet to ensure as much noise as possible.

Not that JD would let that stop him. He approached with the remaining plates and said, "You've raised a beautiful girl, Veronica."

She refused to acknowledge him as she scrubbed furiously at the dishes.

"Though I'm a bit amazed. Heather would be the last thing I'd expect you to name your child."

No response.

"Why'd you name her that?"

Veronica cringed at the memory. She had just given birth, and was heavily drugged. So drugged in fact, that her mother had been placed in charge of handling legal documents. Veronica had just been allowed to hold the baby for the first time when a nurse entered.

"Awww, what a cute baby," the nurse cooed.

Heather Chandler's ghost stood beside her. "So fat and squishy. It looks like you gave birth to a deformed jellyfish."

Veronica ignored the mythic bitch and smiled at the nurse. "Thank you."

The nursed cooed at the newborn once again and looked at her clipboard. "I'm here to help you fill out the birth certificate paperwork. Since you're a single mother we're encouraged to help."

"Helping a poor single mother. Boo hoo."

The nurse flipped a page. "What is this angel's name?"

"How about Myra, after Myra Hindley? That way both of you can have serial killer names! Myra Hindley and Veronica Sawyer."

Veronica had lost her cool. "Heather!" She shouted at the spirit before turning back to the nurse. "Virginia."

She had picked the name from famous author Virginia Woolf. She refused to tell anyone the name of the baby, afraid of wearing out the name. SHe had planned on excluding the middle name, for she couldn't find anything that fit.

When she received the first piece of paper with her daughter's name, "Heather Virginia Sawyer" had been printed. While initially panicked, she thought no big deal. She could just push the middle name until she could get it legally changed.

Sadly, "Virginia" did not catch on.

She scrubbed even harder, trying to block it from her memory.

"She's so—"

She cut him off then and there. "Look, I don't know how the hell you're even alive, but leave me and my family the fuck alone."

"Veronica, can you blame me for trying to contact her? Once I found out you had a kid, I had to know. This was my only chance to get to know her!"

The mother whipped around. "Whatever you're thinking, you're wrong."

He was then approaching her, forcing her to backup against the sink.

"That Heather is my—"

 _"No,"_ she said sternly. She knew if he said it, she'd finally have to face the reality of it.

The man leaned in so close that Veronica could smell the oregano on his breath. "She's mine, isn't she?"

A welt built up in her throat. Tears sprung to her eyes. She couldn't speak.

"Say it!"

"Yes!" She cried out, pushing him. "You're Heather's father!"

"What?!"

Heather and JD both whipped around to see a shocked teenager staring back at them. The backdoor shut behind her, meaning she had perfectly walked in at the right place at the right time.

 _Shit._

* * *

 _ **I know I know, JD being Heather's father wasn't exactly unpredictable, so instead of completely trying to make it a surprise for you guys I made it a surprise for Heather. Even if JD wasn't you guys would suspect it. Though I want to hear some of your fan theories to how JD survived! Comment and let me know!**_

 _ **And here are some more fun facts:**_

 _ **1\. JD was almost a teen psychologist. I literally almost made him a suit and tie shrink for kids.**_

 _ **2\. This story has me doing too much research on 2007 as well as 1989.**_

 _ **3\. JD still hates being called Jason. He's just too polite to correct anyone.**_

 _ **Oh and I nearly forgot! I'm doing a Q and A with the characters! If you have any questions for anyone, leave a comment and check the footnotes in the next chapter for a response! Have a great day guys!**_


	10. Chapter 10

_"What?!"_

Heather stood in shock at her mother and the man before her. Breathing suddenly became difficult. This wasn't happening. No. This could not be happening.

"Honey..." Veronica started, indicating that she had accidently said the last part out loud.

Words finally returned to her. "You...you _knew_ who my father was this whole time and you never told me?!" She was livid. "Some guy, huh Mom?"

"Heather—"

"No, _Mother._ I really don't feel like hearing it right now." She looked at JD before starting to panick. She began hyperventilating. Before she could say anything else, Heather starting heading in the other direction.

"Heather..." JD cooed in attempt to calm her.

She could no longer be there. She had to leave. She took off running. Her mother called out her name and she ran as fast as she could out the door. It was cold outside, so she ran jumped into the first car that hit her sight. The keys were hidden in the picket of the visor, and without thinking twice, she put the key into the ignition and sped out of the neighborhood.

She dodged any and all traffic as she silently panicked. How could she not have figured it out? Even crazy old Mrs. Thatcher could tell! When did JD suspect? When Mrs. Thatcher thought they were father and daughter? Or was it their first meeting when she told him who her mother was? Is that why he had been so nice to her?

She couldn't go home. Not now. She couldn't risk running into either of her parents. She couldn't talk to anyone right now except one person. As fast as she could se made her way to Ben and the Fulbrights' neighborhood, swerving into the driveway.

Mrs, Fulbright answered the door, looking bright and cheery as always. Her blonde hair was in a high ponytail at the top of her head, tracksuit on She and her husband were getting ready for their night time run.

"Heather! How lovely to see you drop in! Lexi's at study group right now though."

"Oh well I'm here to see Carol Lynn."

Mrs. Fulbright stepped in her way. "I don't know, sweetie. She's getting ready for a big calculus test coming up."

"It's an absolute emergency. Like an actual one."

She wasn't budging. "Is everything alright?"

Obviously not...

"I have to see her." With that, Heather ducked under her and raced up the stairs. She could hear music blasting from her best friend's bedroom. For a second, she lost her track of thought. She took a second to regain herself before going inside.

"Carol Lynn I really need to talk. My-"

The sight before her made her stop talking. Carol Lynn laid in the bed, missing all but bra to cover herself. She giggled at the man under the covers on top of her:

A seemingly naked Ben, kissing at her neck.

"Oh my god!"

The two of them stopped and scrambled to cover themselves.

"Holy shit Heather learn to knock!" Carol Lynn cried out.

She couldn't believe her eyes. She could officially consider this to be the worst night of her life. "What the hell is going on?!"

Ben rubbed his jaw and gave a sheepish grin. "Heather."

She couldn't even prepare herself to hear this one. She ran out, past them and Mrs. Fulbright, and back into the car. She peeled out of the driveway and flew like the wind. She had no idea what she was doing. She planned to keep going until the car ran out of gas. A tear fell. Then two. Before she knew it she was sobbing uncontrollably. Mrs. Fulbright even _covered_ for her daughter so Carol Lynn could fuck her best friend's boyfriend. To think earlier that she had another gargantuan bomb dropped on her. She didn't even know who to direct all her anger at. Mom? Mrs. Fulbright? Carol Lynn? Ben?

Fuck them. Fuck them all.

Tears blurred her vision, making it difficult to see. She didn't bother to stop. What was the point? Her life was shit anyway. She couldn't let anyone find her. She sobbed so hard that sadly couldn't see the the headlights shining at her. By the time the horn could be heard she only had enough time to let out a scream as a zemitruck collided with her.

It was then the world went back.


	11. Chapter 11

The first thing Heather saw was a white light. It was bright and nearly blinded her. It wasn't going away? She closed her eyes, but the light's brightness still hurt her eyelids. She felt like she could still see even with closed eyes, and when she tried hard enough, she did. Three figures stood before her.

"Aww look. Veronica's little bitch is all banged up," The first voice spoke. It was a girl her age. She has voluminous, ridiculously teased blonde hair. She had a red bow in her hair to match her kimono robe. She was barefoot.

"I'd love to bang her up." The next voice came in. It was a man, completely naked other than his underwear. Blood was spattered on his face.

"Punch it in!" Called out another man, dressed the same way. There was a hole in his chest.

Heather desperately looked around. She didn't see anyone. The surrounding was all the white light.

A white light...?

"Am I dead?" She asked.

The three all gave a cold, chilling laugh at her. The woman suddenly began coughing, choking on something. A blue, transparent liquid spewed from her mouth.

"CORN...NUTS!"

Heather shot up with a gasp. Pain shot all the way up her spine, making her cry out in agony.

"Hey hey," a new voice came in. A hand rested on her arm to gently push her back down into a laying position. She looked over to see a pair of familiar eyes staring back. Black brown strands fell into them, which the face moved. "I was scared you weren't going to wake up."

"JD...? What am I—" She immediately stopped talking. Her voice sounded like she had been chain smoking her entire life. Her throat felt sore.

 _She was still alive._

JD gave a small smile and pushed some hair out of her face. "Do you remember anything?"

Heather closed her mouth and shook her head. It was a lie, and she wanted to see his answer.

"You took off. You almost were out of the town lines when a semi truck got you. The EMTS found the driver trying to pull you out. They said you should have died, but you only have a concussion, a bandaged ankle, and a few bruised ribs. You kept going in and out. They're going to keep you here for the next few days."

Nothing about before then.

"You remember dinner last night? Why you left?"

Not wanting him to retell her things she didn't wish to relive, she nodded. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He looked absolutely exhausted.

"Did you stay up all night?" She asked.

"Had to make sure you woke up." He was absolutely concerned for her. In fact, he was the _only_ one who seemed to be at the moment. Veronica was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is she?" Heather couldn't even call her her mother at this point.

"Talking with the doctors, signing paperwork."

At just that moment Veronica Sawyer burst through the door. She gave a motherly smile to Heather, before turning to JD with murderous eyes. "I told you to get the fuck out."

JD managed to keep a cool and even tone as he responded. "I have the right to be here just as much."

"Not legally and as not just her mother but also as her lawyer I could file-"

"Oh my god SHUT UP!"

Both adults whipped around to see the injured teenager fuming. Heather reached out and took JD's hand, giving Veronica the most dangerous glower she could muster. "It's my choice, and if you want to try to get back on my good side you will respect my choices."

That shut her up. Speechless, she sank down into a chair. Heather ignored her completely, turning her focus to all the machines she was hooked up to in attempt to distract herself. She watched the heart monitor go up and down. Her mother lied about her father when all along her boss was her father. Beep. Beep. She thought Carol Lynn was her best friend but she was only thinking about herself. Beep beep. She thought Ben loved her but he only cared about sex. Beep beep beep. She caught her bestfriend and boyfriend fucking and her best friend's _mother_ covered for them. Beep beep beep. Jason Dean was her father and Veronica made sure it stayed hidden. Martha had to have known. Veronica had made her godmother swear to secrecy. Like even though there was obviously beef between Veronica and JD, that was a _seriously_ fucked up thing to do. Heather deserved to _at least_ know the story. It was her father.

BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP-

"Heather you need you need to calm down," JD ordered.

"See?! She's panicking because you're here! Once I get her home you will _never_ see her again-"

"No."

Her mother looked at her. "I'm sorry honey but I'm doing what's best."

She gagged and rolled her eyes. "Jesus Christ would you stop being such a snatch?!"

JD had to cough to hide laughter.

"I mean I'm not going home with you. I can't live in the same house as a liar. I'm going to figure something out, stay with Carol Lynn or something," that was a lie, given Carol Lynn's behavior, but she would rather be homeless than stay with Veronica. "but I _refuse_ to go home with you."

Veronica was taken aback by her words. It was unexpected, and she not ready for it.

"Hello sweetie," said a nurse as she stepped in. "I'm here to give you some pain medication. Warning, though, it might knock you out."

Heather nodded.

JD turned to Veronica. "While she's doing that can we speak outside?"

Veronica growled and followed him out.

The second they were out of earshot, he spoke. "I'm gonna ask Heather to come stay with me after she gets discharged."

She laughed. "Yeah right."

"She obviously doesn't want to be with you. I don't blame her, her mother _did_ lie for seventeen years." His voice was taunting her. He crossed his arms over his chest. "I think she is way more likely to throw herself off a bridge Martha Dunnstock style than be released to your custody." He continued before she could yell at him, he continued. "Besides, if you take her away again, I will go to court. I could get custody of her until her eighteenth birthday and then you would never see her again."

She could feel her blood start to boil. "You wouldn't."

"You got seventeen years, why shouldn't I?" He smirked. "Not to mention there is a bigger issue on our hands than the child we sired."

She waited.

"I'm a private investigator. Jessica Chandler recently came to my office wanting me to investigate a suicide eighteen years ago."

Veronica's jaw nearly fell to the floor. "Jessica Chandler as in Heather Chandler's kid sister?!"

"The one and only. Said she thinks it was a murder. I thought you needed to know."

It was then she began to panic. JD now had all the power. If she made the wrong move, he could turn the whole investigation on her. "What the hell do you want?"

He gave her a sympathetic glance and shook his head. "I want to be with my kid, Veronica. Think of it this way: Heather will be with someone you know and you will be welcome to visit anytime." He turned to the room window, where they could see Heather asleep from the medication. "I'll make sure Chandler's suicide stays a suicide. So Heather can have both parents."

Veronica's throat welled up. This was all for her. She was just seventeen.

"Fine."


	12. Chapter 12

_Dear Diary,_

 _It's been three days since my famous collision with a semitruck. The hospital won't free me because they want to be positive I don't have any internal bleeding or something. I also overheard a nurse suspecting that my crash was an attempt at suicide. She spoke to Veronica about psychiatric hold and suicide watch. As much as I loathe my mother right now, I'm thankful her pride got in the way and she cussed out the nurse for suggesting such a notion._

 _To be honest, I'm not sure if it was a suicide attempt or not. I was so upset and reckless I really didn't care about what I did or what happened to me. I still wish everything would just go away._

 _Veronica has barely been here, due to a huge case she couldn't take off of. Typical workaholic Mom. When she is here, she spends her time trying to start a verbal altercation with JD. Gram and Gramps have come by a few times, but Grandma's medicine makes her weak. No visits from Ben or the Fulbrights. Mom called both of their houses and explained that I was in a severe car accident and had been admitted. All I received was a condolence telegram from Ben's mother (seriously, who the fuck sends telegrams anymore?)._

 _I haven't told anyone about Carol Lynn and Ben, mainly because I'm embarrassed for not picking up on the signs earlier. It was obvious that Carol Lynn had a crush on him. That bitch had probably been fucking him for months. So I'm not exactly surprised at their lack of attendance to my bedside. Though I'm honestly flabbergasted that Veronica paid enough attention to remember two whole people in my social circle. Sucks that the only two she remembered were the worst ones._

 _Martha came by once, as did Mrs. West, the school secretary who used to be friends with Veronica. Her name is also Heather, and I feel like there could be a chance she has something to do with my name. Martha brought over a unicorn stuffed animal and a copy of The Princess Bride, and Mrs. West brought me chocolates and a bouquet made out of lip gloss. Both sweet gestures._

 _Other than that, no one really has stayed with me. Except JD. He called to take off a week from work, cancelled all appointments, and has stayed with me the whole duration of my stay. He only goes home once a day to shower and change clothes. He also buys me flowers every day, which is an incredibly sweet thing to do for the kid he didn't know about for seventeen years._ _We haven't spoken about that whole thing since it happened, because neither of us really know what to say. Veronica hid that small detail from both of us and deprived us of the relationship we should have had. He should been the one who taught me how to drive, he should have gotten to yell at me for trying to walk out of the house with a full face of makeup on at age eleven. Ben shouldn't have been the first boyfriend he scared. Just because she didn't like him didn't mean he didn't deserve the right to know I was his._

Anger overwhelmed Heather to the point where she had to shut the diary and put it under her pillow. She couldn't think about it anymore. She laid back, watching the rerun of The Big Bang Theory that JD had left on for her. He had gone nearly two hours ago, according the note he had scribbled and left on her bedside table. A note taped to the hospital room phon stated that she had two missed calls from Veronica. Veronica well knew her daughter was ignoring her, so why did she keep persisting?

JD made his way back into the room. "Morning," he said, replacing the flowers in the vase on her bedside table with blue roses. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, which Heather felt awkward about but didn't object to. It was the first time he had done it, and she suspected it was his attempt at being fatherly late in the game. The smell of cologne and aftershave hit her nose. It was a pleasant scent. It wasn't too overpowering like Phil's was.

He sat in his chair beside her bed and pointed at the TV. "You like this show?"

"It's okay," she admitted. "It's funny. I just don't watch that much television."

An awkward silence blanketed the room. They both looked at each other, trying to figure out what to say.

"Um...thank you, again, for the flowers," Heather finally said.

"Oh you're welcome."

Silence.

She looked at him closely, she had his hair, her brown was more his shade of brown than Veronica's. They could share the same eyes, Veronica's were sometimes blue but frequently changed color, even though she failed to ever notice. His were ice blue. She supposed that there were other facial features they shared that she couldn't pick up on. She wondered if he noticed these things before she did.

"Heather listen. We need to-"

"How long did you know?" The words came out before she could gather them up back in her mouth.

He rested his elbows on his knees, scrubbing at his hands. "I suspected. From when you said you were Veronica's daughter. That you were a senior. It wasn't hard to put the math together. I denied it, thinking after we broke up she could have slept with someone else right after. What Mrs. Thatcher said left me unhinged though. I didn't want to say anything, in case I was wrong."

She nodded.

"I felt like if I was right I needed the chance to know you."

"That's why you offered me the job."

He nodded.

"Is that why you were so nice? Because I was potentially your kid?"

"Heather, I helped you out all those times because it was the right thing to do. I can't say you didn't get special treatment because I suspected, but I promise you none of this was to hurt you."

She knew that. He was just as much a victim in this as she was.

"When your grandmother invited me over, your mom's reaction made it clear that I was pretty much right. I just needed her to admit it. When I pressed her I wanted you to be out of the room. I didn't expect you to come back in. I wanted to be able to process it and then be able to act from.

"Then you took off. I don't think I have ever been so afraid in my life. You never deserved to find out like that."

She had no words. Veronica had taken seventeen years from him. The pain in his eyes told her it upset him. He had to find out his kid was almost fully grown, and her mother was attacking him for simply being in the same room as her.

"I never want to see her again," she said in a voice so low she would never expect it to come from her.

"Oh come on you don't mean that."

"Don't I?!" Tears stung the back of her eyes.

He sighed and squeezed her hand. "Well we need to talk. You're getting released tomorrow."

Heather cringed at the thought of staying under the same roof with Veronica. She would never forgive her for this.

"And I know you don't want to go back to Veronica's. You're old enough now to where you can make your own decisions, not that she likes think so. Somehow, though, I managed to talk her into giving the option of staying with me. Obviously it wouldn't be as big as your mom's place, but you'd have your own room and private space. It's your choice."

Taken aback she pressed her back against her pillows. While she didn't want to go home with Veronica, she did not know JD well enough to stay in the same house with him. Though when she thought about it, how well did she know her mother, though? She knew she was never home, she didn't know anything going on in Heather's life until that fateful dinner, and she was a cold bitch who deserved to pay. JD on the other hand, was her father. Not exactly her dad, because he wasn't around to be one, but was doing his darndest. He cared for her. He never lied to her. He talked to her, and seemed to be in sync about her life. He was always quick to pick up her calls. He bought her slushies when she was upset, and came to her rescue multiple times. He made her pasta.

"It would be a chance to get to know you," she admitted.

He smiled. It was slightly crooked, but she liked it anyway. He looked genuinely jubilant. "Is that a yes?"

She nodded. Her medicines made her tired so speaking took a lot out of her. He grinned.

"I need to call your mom then. See if we can get some clothes and other fun stuff to have at my place." He stood up, cellphone in hand.

She yawned.

"Get some sleep. You need it." He swiftly kissed her head again, so swiftly she was pretty sure he failed to realize what he was doing. She didn't mind at all, she came to see. It felt normal in a way.

When she woke up, JD was reading Catcher in the Rye. He had a collection of classic books he once told her, and she had always been welcome to borrow whatever she might be interested in if she visited.

Except now I'll be living with him, she thought.

He failed to notice her waking up until she shuffled around in bed. He immediately closed the book to smile at her. "Greetings and Salutations."

She rubbed at her face. "What time is it?"

"About ten. You're getting discharged in about two hours. I set up your room last night."

She raised an eyebrow. "Two hours? You said I was getting discharged tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow, kid. You slept the whole day away. Those drugs really knock you out." He was standing up now, packing her things up into a backpack. An outfit was neatly laid out on the foot of the bed.

"Your mom dropped that off on the way to work."

It was the outfit she had worn the first day of school, minus the tights. There wasn't a coat or anything, meaning she would have to brave the November Ohio weather on her own.

JD: 3 Veronica: 0

Two hours later Heather was wheeled out of the hospital. She had been given a pair of crutches to use for the next week, and JD was handed a white paper bag filled with pill bottles, being instructed on how much to give her and how much to wean her off of.

She scoured for Veronica to see if maybe there was a chance she would show up to see her discharged, but workaholic Veronica was a no show.

JD loaded Heather up into the car and handed her a Blue Raspberry slushie.

"Thought you might want something to take the edge off. It might not be alcohol but it's better."

She gave him a small, grateful smile and sipped.

"Once you're all healed we can negotiate you using your wages from work to pay for the car you totaled, at least what the insurance I've heard isn't covering."

She stopped, remembering that in her Britney Spears moment she had destroyed someone's personal vehicle. Guilt washed over her. She didn't even know whose car fell victim to the semitruck.

"Oh my god. I destroyed someone's car. I'm so-"

"Don't worry, Heather. The insurance has most of it. No one is mad at you for it. We're all more worried that you're okay."

She sank in her seat.

"Besides, we can start considering it your allowance money."

She laughed. He laughed with her. He was making such an effort.

"Thank you." She knew it was nearly impossible to make the situation any less awkward.

They drove for the next few minutes, JD's Big Fun CD playing softly in the background. Heather went to check her text messages, but she remembered her phone was lost in the crash. Besides, no one would have probably been worried enough to check up on her.

They stopped at the house, still thick with briar. JD jumped out, fetching out her crutches for her and getting her door open. She hobbled along after him as he made his way into the house. The house was even cleaner than the last time he had been there.

"I was going to take you upstairs and show you your room, but I realize that might be hard to do. Sorry."

She shook her head. "It's fine, thank you."

"You can sleep on the couch until you feel you can get up on the stairs. Sorry."

"It's fine, JD. Thank you, for everything."

He helped her to the couch, throwing on a movie channel for her.

"PB and J okay for lunch?" He asked as he headed over to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. "I haven't had time to go shopping."

"Can never go wrong with PB and J," she joked.

"So because I'm not heartless I'm gonna give the next few days off from work and school. Just don't tell your mom."

"Deal!" She called over shoulder.

"Speaking of Veronica, she called earlier. She said Phil was moving next weekend but is thinking about visiting. Who's Phil?"

She rolled her eyes. "Her fiance. They're supposed to get married at the end of the month. He was a bigshot reporter at our old town. He had to wait for a job to open at Sherwood's Metro Station so he could move."

"Hmm. I see." His words were slow. Careful, even. He made his way back to the living room, sandwich in hand. "Eat up. I want to see you get some food in that stomach of yours before you fall asleep again. I should start calling you Rip Van Winkle."

She chuckled as she bit into the sandwich. Maybe, just maybe, they were on a slow path to normalcy.

* * *

 **Okay guys! I think I should answer some of the questions you guys sent me chapters ago!**

Guest chapter 9 . Nov 29, 2016

"Ooh, this was such a good chapter!  
*thinks* So Heather knows the truth about her father? Hmmm.  
Yo Heather! Who would you prefer to marry your mother, Phil or JD?"

 **Heather: Um..neither. Veronica sucks.**

Lydia Kee Nojinx chapter 9 . Nov 29, 2016

"Well, woah. You can write real good. Okay, questions. What is with Monica and who is Jessica Chandler, her sister or someone? I'm a bit confused on the name thing, as chapter 1 made it seem like she named her Heather on purpose. The whole "his essence" thing. I do like the new explanation, though. Chandler is still Chandler. All the characters are true to the originals. I'm wondering how Heather is going to handle the news, even if she might have guessed at it before. The old woman, even if a bit crazy, (bless her heart) could see it, and Martha too. Makes me wonder if Mrs. Sawyer guessed as well. How is Mrs. S doing concerning the cancer? The reason Veronica came back was because she had cancer, and now that JD is back, maybe she's going to leave. And Phil!"

 **Ginny: Her younger sister. With Heather's name, it was because it's written in third person and I had also not come up with a backstory for it until around chapter five (heheh I'm so good at continuity...not) Mrs. Sawyer is doing well. It makes her moody. To be honest, I started this story six months ago and I only gave her cancer to tether Veronica back to Sherwood (also great at plot points too), and just this past week I have learned my own grandmother has been diagnosed with cancer. I feel like that's okay to share with strangers, since my name and face isn't on the internet. Since my grandmother's going to start treatment, I am hoping to use some of my real life experiences to inspire my writing. It might also mean updating may be faster or slower.**

 **Now I have some questions for you readers if you don't mind. I love to see what you guys come up with. What do you think Phil is like? What do you think JD has decorated Heather's room to look like? Any predictions for when she goes back to school, or for what you think is going to happen next? Answer these and I'll post another fun facts. Do you like those? Also feel free to keep sending in questions. I love them. It keeps me invested in my own story.**


	13. Chapter 13

The next two days Heather spent in the downstairs area on JD's couch. He rarely let her off of it to do anything and to be honest Heather didn't mind having to do nothing all day.

Throughout those two days JD continued to spoil her with flowers and Pay Per View, and doing whatever he could to please her. It was obvious to her that he was not at all used to having other people over at his house because sometimes he would forget she was there at times. He had bought her a copy of The Bell Jar to read, which at the time had not been her favorite, but appreciated the reading material.

Before she knew it, it was Friday afternoon. JD sat in the recliner, watching a rerun of that 70s Show with her.

"BUURN!" Cried Kelso.

Heather snorted as the doorbell rang.

"I got it," JD said as he stood. He rubbed Heather's shoulder as he passed her. She relaxed. They were both more at ease around each other now, though they refused to talk about the elephant in the room. Heather secretly wondered what JD was going to do about the information. A DNA test? A lawsuit? Custody? While any father would act as such toward their child, JD seemed too kind to do any of that, and seemed attached to Veronica.

Veronica gave the best fake smile she could. All she wanted was to see Heather, and as JD opened the door ever so slightly, she could only see the walkway.

"Hi Veronica." JD's voice was almost a whisper. "What are you doing here?"

She tried to peek over his shoulder for a glimpse inside. "I came over to see Heather."

"I'm trying to get her to sleep," he murmured as he slipped onto the front patio, shutting the door behind him. "How did you find my address?"

"I'm a lawyer. I can find anything. Is she okay? Is she back in school?"

"She's fine. I'm sending her back on Monday. Can I help you?" JD sounded blunt, and a bit exhausted. Veronica almost felt bad for him, and she would have, if he wasn't a homicidal prick that abducted her only child.

"I wanted to see my child, JD. My fiance is coming to visit this weekend and would like to see her too."

"Well when she's conscious I'll pass on the message. I don't think she'll be up for visitors this weekend."

"Don't be a dick. She's my kid."

"Don't forget she's mine too."

Veronica was taken aback. "No. No you're not allowed to throw that around. She wasn't yours for her entire life."

"Because I didn't know! Nobody bothered to send me a letter going 'oh hey, long time no speak. I thought you should know I'm popping out your spawn so I'm gonna need you to pay some child support.'" Though his tone was calm and even, the articulation was overdone, as if to make sure there would be no way she could misunderstand a word.

She immediately fired back. "I didn't know you were fucking alive! Speaking of, how the fuck are you alive?!"

He chortled and leaned against the frame of the house. From his pocket he pulled out a carton of cigarettes. When he opened it the carton was nearly empty, minus two or three nicotine-filled joints. He smoothly picked up one and slid it in his mouth. With his other hand he reached into his other pocket and presented a lighter, lighting the cigarette aflame with the flick of his wrist. The butt glowed and became charred, a thin line of chemical smoke streaming from it. He inhaled slowly before gently extracting it to blow out a long, slow stream of smoke. He smiled. "I was wondering when you'd ask."

He tilted the carton in her direction as an offering. She shook her head and pushed it away. "I quit after I got pregnant."

He shrugged and shoved it back in his pocket, taking another smoke before continuing. "You remember that day? On the football field?"

"Like I could forget."

He puffed again, pulling the cigarette out to tap out the ashes before stuffing back between his lips. "Remember what I said to you? About the bomb?"

Don't know what this thing will do...

"Turns out just having the materials to make a bomb doesn't mean you actually know how. If Bud actually had cared I would have had the shit beaten out of me. Had the bomb actually gone off in the boiler room you would maybe have lost a few pipes, sadly. I should have known better than to make it myself. I should have just swiped one from the company. They had a bunch of premade ones that just needed a timer set. One of my more dense moments of judgement.

"The bomb did go off, and did have an impact. The bomb exploded, damaging the football field and managed a small fire from what I heard."

Veronica raised an eyebrow. "I'm not following."

"When it went off, it managed to send me flying. The football field is right next to the woods. I managed to go all the way to the woods. I landed on my neck and back, paralyzing the lower half of my body. My clothes were victims of the damage. I had severe burns on my legs and gashes on my torso. My face was so banged up and covered with caked soot and dirt I was completely unrecognizable. My body sent itself into a coma.

"Two hikers found me a few days later, and I was barely alive. They called the police and I was airlifted to a hospital in Columbus."

Veronica started to panic. She remembered hearing about that in the news. Man found barely alive in the woods, a victim of a fire and maybe an animal attack. They airlifted him to Columbus and said he had almost no chance of survival. In no way at the time did she suspect that to be JD. JD was dead.

"I underwent twelve surgeries while I was comatose to repair nerve damage in my spine. Nobody claimed me. Hell nobody filed a missing person's report on me. My own father was too drunk to realize. He probably assumed I had finally left for good."

Veronica sighed. She remembered forging one final note eighteen years previously, telling Bud that JD had finally had enough and was leaving to start a new life, and to withdraw him from Westerburg.

"Anyway, I woke up two months later. No memory of who I was, or how to do anything for myself. I had to relearn simple things, like feeding myself and speaking. Eventually I remembered who I was and called Bud. I told him where I was and him going through a sober moment of guilt, funded my entire stay at that hospital, and enough money to set me up once I was released. Within a year I was finally out. In another few I had finished physical therapy and received my high school diploma. I started college on a scholarship just so I would have something else to do. I graduated finally able to walk and talk again. I was back to normal.

"I came home ready to come back to you. Bud had moved onto Tennessee. I took a job at the police station so I'd have a way to support you. Then I ran into Betty Finn, the valedictorian. She said she heard you had moved to Cleveland. I knew your parents still lived here, so I knew it was only a matter of time before you came back. When you came back I wanted to apologize. For everything I did. Those years made me see what is truly important, and all of that bullshit wasn't worth it. I was ready to do anything for your forgiveness."

Veronica was speechless at his story. His eyes held back tears, and his voice sounded shaky and uneven. It was almost as if she was speaking to that same broken boy she first spoke to in a 7-Eleven. A boy so damaged he had never had any sense of morality or love. She was back in that moment for half a second, meeting that poor seventeen year old whose only consistency in life was a frozen drink at a convenience store. She didn't know whether to believe him or suspect a trick.

He ran a hand through his messy hair and rolled his lips together as he stamped the last of his cigarette butt to death. He glanced up at the cloudy sky, blinking a few times before returning eye contact. He gently tugged up his pant leg to reveal colored and gruesome scars. Definitely from the bomb. The way the grooves had been created from shrapnel made them almost look like animal bites. "I lost feeling in one of my feet due to the nerve damage. I'm lucky that my face didn't come out that bad. If there's a God, he's a merciful one," he half-joked.

She had no words as he waited for her to say something. What if this was all somehow a trick? He had manipulated her once, and she was never going to let a man treat her like that ever again. He may have been Heather's father, but their love had been an unhealthy and emotionally abusive one. How could she have believe that he had changed after everything he had done?

"When is Heather planning on coming home?" Was the only thing she could ask.

"That is up to her. She's still hurt, and rightfully so. A betrayal like that takes time to heal. She needs to get back to normal. School, extra circulars, and figure out what she's going to do. She's old enough to know what she wants. To be safe though I am going to order a paternity test. I don't want to upset her any further. Even if there is a two percent chance that I'm not the father. I need to know. If she wants me to sue for custody that will be her choice. I don't want her to feel any more hurt than she's already felt. Though no matter what you'll always have access to her. Unlike you I don't deny my daughter both of her parents."

Veronica seethed. "I was protecting her from the homicidal maniac of a sperm donor."

JD shook his head. "You'll see that I'm not that kid from high school. I'm full grown and I never want Heather to go through what I did. She deserves parents who love her and are there for her. We missed the first seventeen years. We're not missing any more. I have to get dinner started. I'll make sure she calls you when she feels up to it."

Before Veronica could speak, JD was gone back into the house.

Heather heard the front door shut as she shut off the TV. In walked JD, the smell of smoke fresh on his clothes. Heather knew he smoked, but he had made a point not to smoke in the house or in his office.

"Hey. You okay?" She asked.

"Fine. Your mom stopped by."

She groaned. The last person she wanted to see was Veronica.

"Don't worry. I got her to back off for today. Her fiance is coming into town this weekend and would like it if he got to see you. I think it would be a good idea. I know you're mad at her but she is your mother. She did what she did thinking it was in your best interests. If you decide not to I'll understand."

She nodded. "I'll think about it."

He bent over and kissed the top of her head. The scent of cigarettes filled her nostrils. "How you feeling?"

"A bit better."

* * *

 **Hey guys! I am so sorry for not posting in so long! There has been a lot of stress in my life with my grandmother as well as other issues with my family and I decided to take a break for the sake of my mental health and help my family first. While the issues at home still plague on, I am in a much better attitude right now and feel better when it comes to posting!**

 **Fun Facts:**

 **1\. JD has given Heather the Bell Jar in this chapter. The Bell Jar was the book they used to write Heather Chandler's fake suicide note.**

 **2\. In the last chapter, JD was reading Catcher in the Rye. That was the original book they planned on using for the film, but they couldn't aquire the rights. JD is named after the author of Catcher in the Rye: J.D. Salinger**

 **3\. Betty Finn was a character in the film. She was Veronica's best friend before she joined the Heathers. In the film she is portrayed by Charlie Sheen's sister and Martin Sheen's daughter. For the musical they combined her character and Martha's to make the Martha Dunnstock we know and love.**

 **Q &A:**

Glubok

Question, do you really believe Veronica is like that or is it just a colored perception of our favourite unreliable narrator? (Also, this is just speculation and I don't want this one answered due to spoilers, but I wonder if JD actually had changed for the better, or if he's just very manipulative as always? Probably a bit of both, tho I can still hope for him being a good guy at the end :P)

 **Ginny:** **All I can say is that while this is written in third person, it is mainly told from the points of view of Veronica and Heather Sawyer.**

Mikune

WHAT THOUGH?!

 **Ginny: I really don't know man.**

 **Continue to send in questions and stay tuned for more! Thank you for actually staying and continuing to read my crappy fanfiction!**


	14. Chapter 14

Heather leaned against JD for support as he made her hobble up the stairs.

"Maybe I should have waited until you could walk on your own," he mused.

"You bringing me up here to murder me quietly?" She joked.

He smiled. "Almost there..."

With that, they made their way to the second floor. There was a door, leading to a bedroom. It was smaller than her room at her mother's, but definitely more personal. The furniture was all expensive dark cherry wood, from the bedframe to the desk to the bookshelf. The bed was a queen, with a dark blue comforter set and a cherry wood frame. Next to it was a nightstand and a corner bookshelf filled with a large selection of books. Next to the bookshelf was a reading chair, which resided near the window. On the far right was a desk of beautiful craftsmanship, with brass knobs. It gave an old, classic feel, and Heather was in love.

"Oh my-"

"I didn't know what you'd like. I tried, though whatever you don't like we can go out this weekend and replace it."

She was nearly speechless. "No...it's perfect!" She turned around to embrace him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you so much. This means a lot."

He reluctantly squeezed her back, still somewhat uncomfortable. "I secretly wished you were a boy when I was out shopping. I know nothing about what girls like. Probably why I'm single."

She laughed. "This is awesome."

"I even bought you a compilation of all of Poe's best works, plus a Baudelaire poetry book, because I'm going to introduce you to the _best_ poet known to man."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Don't make me ground you young lady," he said in a joking matter, before turning serious. "Though since you're going to be here for a while, I guess we need to set in some rules."

Heather sat on the bed. "Shoot."

He sank into the reading chair. "Number one. No borrowing my car without permission."

"Done."

"No boys."

She sighed. "Not going to be a problem."

"Tell me before you go off so I know where you are."

"Yes sir."

"And most importantly, do _not_ under _any_ circumstances go downstairs into the basement."

That one caught her off guard. "Why?"

"I've been trying to renovate it by myself for the last six months but I haven't had much luck because of time restraints. It's an old house so the basement was falling apart. The stairs are likely to give way eventually, and the basement itself is a mess. There's nails and uneven floors. It dangerous and you should not be down there ever. Understand?"

"What about laundry?"

"I will take care of your laundry, or I will give you some money for the laundromat. It's just highly unsafe for you and I will not allow you to to go down there. Understand me?"

She sighed, resigning herself. His voice came off as almost agitated and she wasn't ready to anger him. "Yes sir."

"Also avoid the attic. I haven't had the time to to check up there for rats and such." He said.

She nodded.

JD nodded. "I'm glad you like your room."

"I love it. Makes me want to go home even less."

The word "home" must have struck him the wrong way, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Hey Heather, you do know this could be a permanent arrangement if you wanted it to be, right?"

"What?" Heather was taken aback by the statement. He and Heather had spoken of her staying with him until she was ready to go home, but nothing permanent.

"I-I was thinking. With your mom being a lawyer and all and me not being your legal father I have no rights to you until you're eighteen. We could get a paternity test, and if you wanted, and I could try to work out a custody agreement."

She was confused. Of course he was her father. Her own mother confessed to it, and they had a decent amount of family resemblance to one another. "What do you mean you're not my father?"

"No no. I mean _legal_ father, because there is no legal proof you're my kid, because I never signed a birth certificate or was listed as a father or paid child support. I was never there to raise you and your mom and I never married so in the eyes of the law I'm not your legal father until there is documented proof. A positive DNA test could open up a chance of me bring eligible to get custody of you."

She nodded, a bit unsure, as he began to get overly animated and worked up. "Wouldn't I need my mom's written permission for a DNA test?"

"Usually, but you're seventeen so it should be alright. If not I could get a court order from a judge demanding a test."

Heather could feel a knot in her throat. A week ago, this would sound like a soap opera to her. This was her reality now. A paternity test, custody agreements, court orders. This was a lot to be handling at once. She could feel her chest growing heavy, and her shoulders slump. It became hard to breathe. Tears stung the surface of her eyes.

He quickly rushed over to her. "Hey..." His voice was soft as he laid a hand on her shoulder, his other hand gripping hers securely as he crouched in front of her. He poked his eyes up so they would look directly into hers. "Hey...look at me."

She sniffled. "I'm sorry. I don't even know why I'm-"

He nodded. "I know that was an overload of information and a lot to process right now. I wanted to be open and honest with you. I promise I will never do anything without your consent. I _do_ want you to have a good relationship with Veronica, but at the same time I want you to feel safe and not have to worry about trust. If you feel you have a better chance of that with me then I will do anything to make sure that happens for you."

She nodded. She suddenly felt drained, and emotionally exhausted. She was overloaded and overwhelmed with information.

"Here, why don't you lay down?" He pulled the comforter back. She nodded, relaxing onto the bed. It was soft. So soft. It was like laying on a cloud. Her eyes felt heavy, and her body started to relax.

"Seems like your meds are kicking in. I'll let you get some rest." He pulled the duvet and comforter over her, tucking them in under her chin.

He kissed her head, her eyes dipping and fluttering shut. He smiled before turning the lights off and leaving.

...

"Hold on, so you knew who her father was this entire time?"

Veronica sighed as she turned off the stove. "It's complicated, Phil."

After Heather's accident, Phil's contract with the newscompany back in Lima expired and he had been staying with Veronica, whose emotional state was not great. She had not taken what had happened with Heather well, and was hellbent on getting her back.

"You lied to her about who her dad was. I don't blame her for being upset," Phil countered.

She groaned and washed her hands. "It was better for her, Phil. Our relationship was hell on wheels. He became...dead to me."

 _Literally._

Phil began setting the table. "It was high school. Every high school relationship is hell on wheels. What did he do that was so bad? Kill someone?"

A chill ran up Veronica's spine. What had happened senior year was a secret that both her and her daughter's father had to take to the grave, though until recently she thought JD was closer there than she was. "Can we drop this topic?"

"Look, you bitch and moan about this all day, and then you're told something you don't want to hear-"

The sound of the doorbell cut her fiancee off. "She's here!" Veronica raced to her door, opening it. Heather stood there, crutches in arms. She wore a black dress, her hair tied at the nape of her neck. She had a depressed look on her face. It almost looked as if Heather was attending her own funeral. Next to her stood JD, that disgusting trenchcoat still on him. Instead of his normal dark t-shirt he had a blazingly white shirt.

"Veronica."

"JD." It took all of Veronica's energy not to kill him there. Heather had reluctantly agreed to dinner on one condition: JD be invited. Veronica realized the only way to regain Heather's favor was to appease her for the time being, and if that meant keeping her father breathing, then that is what it took.

She returned her attention to her daughter, smiling bright. "Hi honey! I made your favorite! Breakfast for dinner! I made waffles, and pancakes, and omelets, and those little breakfast sandwiches-"

Heather nodded and hobbled through. "I have some clothes in my room," was all she said.

"Need help?" JD offered.

"I got it." With that she dragged herself up the stairs.

Veronica's ex-boyfriend grinned at her as he presented a bottle of wine. "I got this, I thought it'd be better than beer."

"So how much drain fluid is in it?" Veronica asked viciously

"What?" Phil asked as he stepped into the doorway.

"N-nothing," Veronica stammered. "Old inside joke..."

Phil grinned at JD. "Hey man." He extended a hand to him. "Phil Murphy. I'm Veronica's fiance."

JD stared at his hand for a moment before shaking it. "Jason Dean. Heather's father. Congratulations. You're a lucky guy."

Phil grinned, and Veronica watched the two interact. Phil was a whole head taller, with a big, toothy, movie star smile. His blond hair styled perfectly. His clothes were perfectly pressed, and he looked ready to walk into work at the last minute. Phil did football in high school, and was crowned both Prom and Homecoming King his senior year. His father was a doctor up north, his mom a nurse. Phil had a twin sister who was a medical researcher, and a younger brother who wad studying to be a botanist. The whole family got along well. Phil, who liked to play golf on Sundays and spend Thursdays going drinking with the guys.

Then there was JD. His hair tousled, a closed mouth grin on his face, as if he was planning something. He looked like he took no effort into getting ready for the day. JD moved around too much to get involved in extra circulars or to make any friends. His father was the owner of a deconstruction company, his mother having committed suicide when he was young. He and his father were never on good terms. His hobbies included slushies and mass genocide.

The two men were so vastly different from one another. Each from a different realm of reality. It was amazing for Veronica to think she had dated both of them.

Heather had now managed herself down the stairs, holding a bag of clothes. Phil took JD's wine so he could take the bag back to his car. JD and Heather exchanged an inaudible conversation that needed with JD taking the bag on clothes and petting Heather's head, which made Veronica's blood boil.

"Let's go eat!" Veronica called out. "JD can I speak with you in the other room?"

JD nodded and followed her to the foyer. "Got another insult for me tonight?" He asked loudly.

"SHHH!" She hushed before dropping her voice to a whisper. "Look, I get that I was a _little_ hostile (not that you didn't deserve it or anything) but I've decided on a truce."

"How kind of you."

"If kindness is what gets me my daughter back, I'll kill you with it."

JD raised an eyebrow. "Still not over this are you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Any word on Heather Chandler's sister?"

He sighed. "While I was with _our_ Heather she left about twelve voicemails. I took the case on so she wouldn't go to someone else. We're in the clear. For now."

"For _now?!_ What does that mean?"

"I can't guarantee that Jessica won't open an investigation elsewhere if she isn't appeased with answers I give. Even if she doesn't I'll have to find creative ways to bullshit a handwriting analyst report and avoid getting police suspicious. I arranged a meeting with her Monday to help buy some time. I'm pretty positive this isn't going anywhere, but I'd get to brainstorming just in case."

He started to head back to the kitchen when she grabbed his arm. "Wait," she whispered. "Why are you doing this? You could have pinned me for this if you wanted." Apart of her was perplexed by his complete 180, and for a second she wondered if he had really changed.

"We have a child together," JD said, glancing over at Heather, whose ponytail was swinging as she whipped her head to get food. "If my math is right, she was there for a lot of what happened." He looked at Veronica's stomach so she'd understand what he meant. "She doesn't deserve to be apart of our mistakes any more than she already has been."

Veronica's heart pounded hard inside of her chest. The compassion he showed toward her was unlike anything she had ever seen from him. She was completely unprepared for the level of gentleness he was displaying. He turned back to her, looking deep into her eyes.

"I still care about you, Veronica," he whispered. "I never stopped caring. I waited _years_ for you to come back. Finding out about Heather was the best thing that ever happened to me. You were the only thing right about this broken world. To know a piece of our relationship lives on, makes me so happy."

Her blood ran cold. What he said...was borderline. With him she couldn't even let the possiblity of him simply being poetic cloud her judgement. Whatever trust she had locked away was now permanently in a maximum security prison. She had to get Heather out of his care. She knew that Heather was legally old enough to pick who she wanted to live with, and knew to pin the murders on JD would expose them both. She had to get crafty...

...

Heather picked up two waffles, staring intensely at the counter. The Sawyer household had a strict "serve yourself" policy so cleanup would be faster and closer to the sink.

She noticed her mother's fiance creeping up next to her from the corner of her eye.

"Syrup in the fridge?" Heather asked.

She felt him pull her back into him, his breath tickling her as he whispered in her ear, "You need to stop being a little shit."

She pushed herself forward, hitting the handle of the oven. "Excuse me?"

"I get that you don't want to be here, hell I'm okay with you moving in with your dad, but stop being an annoying little shit. It's pissing everyone off. So shut up and grow up."

It took all of her strength to not let her jaw fall to the floor. Phil had always been distant and unrelatable, but never rude. What he said was highly uncalled for. He had never acted this way to her before.

Before she could even think of a response, her parents had walked back into the room. "Who's hungry?" Veronica asked. "Oh I forgot something. Phil would you help me set the table?"

Phil nodded, kissing Veronica on the temple. Veronica set five plates on the counter, handing four to Phil. She got the silverware and followed her to the table, Heather watching. Since when did they set the table?

"You okay?"

Heather looked up at her father and shook off her shock. "Yeah um yeah. Just thinking."

"You sure? Because if this is too much-"

"No," Heather declared. "I'll be fine."

She swung herself off to the dinner table, JD following closely behind.

...

"So how are you feeling honey?" Veronica asked Heather at dinner.

She shrugged as she sipped her drink. "Physically? Or between the ears?"

Veronica's caring expression refused to fade. "Both."

"I'm recovering from the crash okay, though all the pain meds are seriously messing with my sleep schedule." She picked at her scrambled eggs, looking up to deliver Veronica the most murderous glare she could give. She had lied to her, and had been awful to her father. Her fiance was a complete douche canoe. No reason for pleasantries. "You still going to refuse to talk about the _last_ family dinner we had?"

The Douche Canoe raised an eyebrow at Heather, surprised by her boldness. JD leaned forward in interest.

"I..." Veronica stammered. "I am-"

Heather didn't give her enough time to respond. "Because if we're being honest Mother, being lied to for my entire life kinda sucked. Finding out the way I did sucked. To learn he would have wanted me from day one and was willing to step up hurt not just me. We both could have had a different life. He could have taught me to drive instead of the creepy driver's ed teacher. He could have had a family. You were too damn selfish to think of what either of us could have wanted, huh?"

"Heather..." JD warned. Heather looked at her mother, her eyes burning with tears.

"Heather I am so-"

"Save it," Heather interrupted. "I just want to try and have what we deserved. I want to change my name."

A surprised grunt came from JD and Veronica. "What do you mean?" JD asked.

"It makes no sense that I don't have any evidence of him on paper." She looked at JD. "I was wondering, if it's okay with you that is, if you become my dad on paper. And let me take your last name."

"You want to become Heather Dean?" Veronica asked.

"It's what you want kiddo," was all JD said.

"I'd also want to start counseling. I realize I may need someone outside of this to talk to. I know therapy is expensive, so I thought of seeing the school guidance counselor. Her name is Ms. Fleming-"

 _"No,"_ said JD and Veronica in unison..

Heather's eyes widened.

"I'm not opposed to a therapist, but Fleming's a kook."

Veronica nodded. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with him. Ms. Fleming's a basket case. She'll use your problems to boost her own personal vendetta . I'd avoid that."

Heather sat back. "Fine. Then are the three of us going to talk about this?"

Ding dong!

 _Saved by the bell,_ thought Veronica.

"Expecting anyone?" Phil asked.

"Just my saving grace," muttered Veronica as she got up to answer the door. Heather's eyes followed her as she exited the dining room. She flicked her eyes back to JD's.

"Better than the last family dinner?"

She huffed at JD. "Verdict's still out."

"Thank you for stopping by!" Heather heard Veronica say from the foyer. "Come on in! I'll fix you a plate!"

Within a few seconds entered Veronica and another man. He was older, mid to late fifties. He was solidly built, with silver hair and a black mustache. He went straight to JD, whose skin has turned white.

"Hey Pops," the man said. "Long time no see."

Heather watched her father stand up and reach the other man at eye level. "Look son, I don't see why I'm here."

Heather was super confused, as was Phil.

Veronica set another plate at the head of the table. "Heather honey have you met Mr. Dean? Big Bud Dean?"

Heather then put two and two together. That man was her grandfather.

JD's posture was better than usual. He gripped his fork with a tight fist, so much so that the fork started to bend. He was angry. And uncomfortable.

"I had to hear I had a grandkid via phone call." Bud said as Veronica set down a plate at the empty spot between JD's chair and her own. Bud gestured to Heather. "This her?"

"No!" JD shouted. "No."

Heather's jaw dropped. Veronica sat back down. She put both elbows on the table, folding her hands to rest her chin on. She seemed pretty pleased with herself. Phil shifted in his seat, feeling very uncomfortable with being the odd man out.

"What?" Heather's voice was shaking. JD turned back to her.

"Heather-"

"Ooooohhh come on Jasonn. Ran off you live the perfect life away from dear old dad."

JD huffed. "You're drunk. Guess rehab didn't work for you."

"Guess condoms didn't work for you."

Phil choked on his omelet. Veronica had now dropped her elbows and was gripping the table. Everybody waited for JD's response. His face was blood red. After what felt like hours, he spoke, cool and collected.

"Gee son, I wish I cared. Then maybe it wouldn't be like this." He pushed in his chair. "Leave, and never come back."

Bud stared at him. He shook his head and turned to Veronica. "Thanks for whatever you want to call this but I think it's time I head home."

"I agree," Heather stated, standing up as JD took her hand to pull her away. She was stiff, as if a bit reluctant to go but also reluctant to stay. She picked up her crutches, tucking one under each arm.

"We'll talk about this in the car," JD whispered. Heather nodded, and without any mention to Veronica, Phil, or Bud, swung behind JD. She heard her mother curse as they left.

The first ten minutes of the car ride was a deadly silence. Neither JD or Heather spoke, neither of them knowing how to start the conversation in a sensitive enough way for the other person. Heather looked down, playing with the hem of her dress.

"Heather I-" he cut himself off and sighed. "I'm sorry. For what you saw."

Her head lifted up. "Did you mean it? What you told him?"

His hands gripped the wheel, then relaxed. "Yes and no." He looked at her. "My dad and I don't have the best relationship. After my mom died he started drinking and we stopped being normal. After I started college we stopped talking entirely. There was no need to be around him if he didn't want me. I used to have to pay rent and cook every night because he was spent all our money on beer and would be too drunk to cook. He wasn't a father. He was a landlord and a roommate. I disowned him. He's not your grandfather. Not really.

"My mother died in a library that he was in charge of blowing up. A freak accident he called it. I remember her taking me to the site so we could deliver him lunch. She gave me his lunchbox and told me to go to his portable so she could use the bathroom.

"Dad and I split a turkey sub and a Twinkie before he decided to let me watch the demolition. We walked over to the safe zone. I looked up and saw Mom waving at me through the second story window. I tried to say something to my dad, but he wasn't listening. Two minutes later...boom."

Heather's heart dropped. JD continued.

"From that day forward I had no respect for him. We both know it wasn't an accident. I just can't tell which one of my parents was at fault. So that's why I didn't tell him about you. I don't want him in your life. A drunk nobody always asking for money and belittling you...is not what you deserve. You may be my kid, but you are not his granddaughter. I'm sorry if I upset you. That shouldn't have happened. I shouldn't have pushed you to go dinner."

Heather looked at her father. He was visibly upset, but was doing his best effort to hide it. Anger shook her. No doubt that Bud was a dick, and no doubt that her mother fully knew their strained relationship thus inviting him to hurt him.

"It's okay," Heather finally said. "It wasn't your fault."

During the red light their eyes met. She smiled. "How 'bout we drive to the 7-Eleven? Get a slushie? I'm buying."

He laughed. "You know kid? I'd like that."

* * *

 **Hey guys! (I'm sick of calling you people "You guys" all the time. What would you like me to call you?) Thank you so much for reading. I'm sorry it took me so long to post. I wrote this forever ago. With school, my new job, and me being sick I haven't really had the time to get on my computer to post (the app never is consistent for me). I was trying to post earlier today, but the website was glitching. It kept deleting the chapter! (Don't worry, I had it saved elsewhere, but the A/N wasn't so I'm retyping this...fuck me gently with a chainsaw...) I'm sorry. Instead of getting Jenny with the good hair you get Ginny with the bad excuses. Hehe...*sweats* Now for the bonus features!**

 **Fun Facts:**

 **1\. Phil has no children of his own (obviously).**

 **2\. Bud still owns his deconstruction company, and continues to get houses with an extra bedroom out of habit, should JD ever return. Bud has gotten pretty bad about keeping up with the bills, and has been evicted from four houses.**

 **3\. Heather has her own MySpace account as well as a Xanga account for her writing. (If you don't know what either of those then jeez I'm old...I use to beg my parents for those when I was younger. MySpace was the big social media platform before Facebook. Xanga was the blogspot before Blogger/BlogSpot.) I don't know if either still exist.**

 **Q &A:**

Fiona chapter 13 . May 13

Yay! You updated! I hope your family and you are doing well. I really like the interaction between VERONICA and JD. I think you captured the reluctance of Veronica well, with still keeping in mind the need of a parent to know how their child is. Same goes with JD trying to explain himself. Also! Thank goodness you have a (sort of) feasible explanation for JD being alive! You are like 1 of 3, as far as I know. Well, thanks for another great chapter, uhhhhh. I still hope the fiancé is a jerk because through everything, I still somehow want Veronica me JD to be together. :P Somethinv I didn't get around to asking last chapter, didn't Veronica's parents know JD had died? Why didn't they question it when he showed up at the door? Did he talk to them when Veronica was gone? Whelp, this got long, thank you for another great chapter, I can't wait for the next!

 **Ginny: Hi Fiona! Nobody except for Veronica knew JD died, because Veronica forged a note from JD saying he was running away to start a new life.**

AKUltiWarriorchapter 13 . May 24

I'm loving it so far. I questioned if I really liked the fact that JD was back, but then realized that yeah, I am. Because honestly, he is my favorite character. I hope that you won't discontinue this story. When you feel like you've lost inspiration, remember that you have my and many other's support. With best regards, AK_UltiWarrior.

 **Ginny: Oh my McNamara. Thank you so much. Not a question, but thank you so much.**

Guest chapter 13 . Jun 15

Omg please update. I love this so much, like, more then Ram is gay for Kurt. Which is, as you already know, pretty damn much. I like the father version of JD, I felt like there were parts in the musical where he needed a hug and he was just a poor kid in need of help. Also, I'm enjoying the little facts at the end of the story, they're very interesting. Now I have more Heathers stuff to annoy the crap out of my friends! :)

Did you know about the alternate ending to the movie? Everyone dies and they have a prom in heaven, where Martha Dunstock is singing and the Proms "punch" is the drain cleaner that killed Heather Chandler

 **Ginny: Indeed I did know about the alternate endings. In fact, there were quite a few of them. One involved Martha stabbing Veronica to death after JD blows up.**

Anna chapter 2 . Jun 26

She can't have a 2008 model car, latest would be 2007, I think, maybe 2006, if my math is right.

 **Ginny: Not a question, but I would like to clarify. Most cars tend to carry the name of the next model year, and since Carol Lynn was a spoled little rich kid, that is why she has one.**

 **Okay so thank you so much for everything you as a group have really pushed me to keep writing and inspire me every day. You all have moved me to tears and I cannot thank you enough. Thank you for all the reviews, the PMs, and comments. I read them all and it makes me happy to think people like a story that I wrote. Thank you for being there for me. And to you two guest FF people..."Trash" and "Mythic Bitch" thank you for giving me countless laughs. Thank you guys for everything you have done! Please keep reading and leaving comments, reviews, PMs, and questions for me and the characters to answer! I love you and have a good night!**

 **Challenges!**

 **-What would you like me to call you guys?**

 **-Fan theories?**

 **-Find the references!**

 **-What characters do you think we're going to see next?**


	15. Chapter 15

"You ready?"

Heather stared at the front entrance of Westerburg High and groaned. She didn't know what was worse:dealing with the living hell that was her family life, or dealing with the living hell that was her social life. She wasn't ready to see the Fulbright sisters or her ex-boyfriend. Well, she didn't think they were dating. They had never formally broken up, but her walking in on him and her best friend was probably a good deal breaker.

"Heather, there's a line behind me," JD pushed.

She hit her head against the window. "I'm going."

"Sorry kid. I would keep you home longer but your mom would kill me."

She scoffed. "Surprised she hasn't killed anyone already," she muttered.

JD broke out laughing. He laughed and laughed. Laughed until tears peaked out from the outer corners of his eyes. She cocked her head. Was there a joke she didn't get?

"Sorry," he said as he calmed down. "Too much coffee I guess."

She grabbed her backpack, and he slipped her a twenty. "Didn't have time to pack you lunch."

She gave a small smile and thanked him. He didn't know that Veronica's credit card already had reloaded her lunch account, but she wasn't going to tell him.

"I'll be here at three to pick you up. Call if you need anything."

She nodded. "Bye-" she paused. "See ya later."

She got out of the car and sighed. What should she call him? Dad? JD? It felt awkward to try either name. JD had never asked her to call him anything but his name.

"Hi Heather."

Heather looked up to see Carol Lynn, blonde and cheery faced beaming at her. Lexi and a few others were with her.

Heather gripped her crutches. "Hi, Carol Lynn."

Her former best friend put a hand on her arm. "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell."

She nodded. "Well I hope you get the help you need."

Before she could even respond, the bell rung. Carol Lynn flipped her blonde hair and shuffled off with her friends. She shrugged and swung herself to first period. Over the intercom, the morning announcements came on.

"GOOD MORNING WESTERBURG. IT IS EIGHT AM AND TIME FOR FIRST PERIOD. BEFORE OUR MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS CONTINUE, HEATHER SAWYER PLEASE REPORT TO THE COUNSELOR'S OFFICE."

Heather sighed and picked up her crutches, having just sat down. Probanly a meeting to catch up on the work she missed. She swung herself down to the office, knocking on the door.

"Come in!"

She opened the door, to see a small crazy haired woman smiling at her. "Heather! Hi! Gosh you look just like your mother. Have a seat."

She sank into the red leather chair.

Ms. Fleming placed her hands on hers. "I need to ask. How are you feeling?" The word 'feeling' was overprounounced, as if she was using it as a vocal excercise rather than a question.

"Fine," Heather lied.

"It's ooohhkay to tell me ya know, I'm not a regular counselor. I'm a cool counselor."

Heather smiled and pulled her hand away. "Still fine."

Ms. Fleming frowned, probably from not recieving the answer she wanted. " Well Heather I wanted to sit down and talk about your situation."

Situation? How did the school know about JD?

"I know switching schools your senior year must be quite the adjustment. New school, new friends, new relationships, and everything can be just be so overwhelming.

"I know you probably went over this during your stay at the...hospital, but I thought you might want one of these."

She slid over a small booklet, with an eighties cover of a girl with a knife in her heart. In terrible word art read:

TEENAGE SUICIDE (DON'T DO IT!)

What?

"What is this for?"

Ms. Fleming beamed. "It's a booklet with reasons not to attempt suicide. I know depression can be hard, but trying to graduate from six feet under is even harder."

Feeling...situation...hospital... It suddenly all made sense.

"Oh Ms. Fleming. I think there's been a mistake. I didn't try to kill myself!"

"No one ever tries to kill themself, sweet pea."

"No no. Ms. Fleming, I was in a car accident. I was in a medical hospital."

"Whatever you say, honey."

Heather groaned.

"You know, you should really talk to your mom about suicide. She could probably tell you about her attempt."

She choked on the air she was breathing. "What?"

"Poor Jason Dean came to visit her one day and found her. Thought she was already dead. This was when the Suicide Ring was going on. Actually, she was probably already pregnant when that happened."

Heather couldn't believe it. Her mother had attempted suicide in the past, and her father had found her. Her mother wanted to die, and she almost died with her. What else about her mother's past had been hidden?

"Jason Dean? JD, Jason Dean?"

Ms. Fleming nodded. "Poor fellow. Her best friend in the entire world. I actually think they were dating too-"She stopped, putting the connection together.

"JD is my dad," Heather confirmed, before the old lady could ask on a way that made Heather want to vomit more than she already did.

"Oh wow. I didn't know. You don't have his last name."

"It's a recent discovery," she said quickly. Her chest felt like there were fifty pound weights on top of it. Her stomach churned. "Ms. Fleming, I'm behind on my classwork. Can I have a pass back to class?"

Ms. Fleming scribbled on a Post It and handed to her before Heather swung herself from the room. She leaned against a locker, ripping out a page from her notebook. Eyeing Ms. Fleming's handwriting, she scribbled a pass of her own, copying the handwriting.

"Heather."

Heather poked her head up to see Ms. Whitman.

"Good to see you. Shouldn't you be in class?"

Heather held out the fake pass to her. "I'm actually out on a hall pass. Yearbook committee."

She eyed it. "Very well. Glad to see you back."

With that, she swayed back into her classroom. Heather let out a sigh of relief before going to the nearest bathroom and locking herself in a stall.

"So she really tried to kill herself?"

Heather looked through the bottom of the stall. Little boots walked up to the sink. The sound of a flush and out stepped a pair of pink cowboy boots.

"Yep," Lexi's voice floated and echoed through the bathroom. "Tried to drive off the Old Mill bridge. Just because Ben dumped her."

Heather's jaw dropped.

"Poor Ben."

"Yeah. Carol Lynn was with him all weekend consolling him. Apparently after Heather was pulled out of the car her mom had her committed to a nice white room with padded walls."

Heather watched from the opening between the stall door and wall. Lexi finished washing her hands and pulled out a Lip Smacker lip gloss from her tiny purse, applying it.

"Poor Heather," Lexi's friend said.

"Please. Everyone knows she only did it for attention." Lexi smacked her lips, dabbing at them with her finger. "Let's go."

They shuffled out of the room and Heather touched her mouth. Water fell on her fingertips, and she put her hands to her cheeks. She had been crying. She sniffled. That is what everyone, including Ms. Fleming, thought of her. She needed to go somewhere. She grabbed her crutches and swung herself up to the bleachers of the football field, where a news van was outside.

"The new Ram Sweeney scoreboard as it will be named will be put to use on Friday, at the Powder Puff game," Phil said into a camera. "This is Westerburg's second scoreboard to be named after a former student. The indoor scoreboard was named after Kurt Kelly. Both students died in a tragic double suicide back in 1989. The Heather Chandler auditorium was named after the first death in the infamous Suide Ring. All three of the deceased families are said to be coming to the grand reveal of the scoreboard. This is your new newscaster, Phil Murphy, Channel Seven News." Phil smiled for a second, then faded. "How was that take?"

The cameraman nodded. Heather watched as she sat on the bleachers. Phil walked away, muttering about trash stories when his phone rang. Phil owned an iPhone. It was a stupidly expensive cell phone, that had a built in iPod, camera, weather application, and a GPS system. He was one of the five people Heather knew that owned one. Phil offered to buy her mother one, but she said she could never part with her Blackberry. She said iPhones were going to be a fad that would phase out after a year.

"Hello? Oh hey man."

He sighed. "Yes. Yeah-yeah it's right."

Heather watched as her future stepfather curled his hand into a fist by his side. "She wanted to change the date since the kid got in an accident and moved in with her dad. Yes apparently he's back and in her life. If only he'd take the brat and stay gone."

Her jaw dropped.

"Look man, I never wanted kids. When Veronica told me she had one I thought it would work out since she was almost out of the house, but the way it's going I may never be rid of her. I'm about ready to leave her because of that bitch. She crashed a car."

Heather's heart was racing. Is this what Phil thought of her? She couldn't listen to this. She needed to get out of this school. Now.

"The party has arrived!" A female voice cried out from the bleachers.

Phil looked up and smiled, not seeing the eavesdropping teenager. "Well hello."

A beautiful woman clanked her heels down the metal bleachers and into his arms. A green dress hugged her curves as she swayed in his arms. She kissed him. Deeply. Heather's heart stopped.

"Philip Murphy, what are you doing here?" The woman in green asked.

"Work. Why are you here, babe?"

"Visiting an old skank I went to high school with. Just like old times. Thought about dropping by your place afterward."

"Sounds great." He kissed her again, squeezing her butt as he did so. "See you then."

Before she could even see the goodbye kiss, Heather had escaped back into the building and made her way to the front office. She saw Heather McNamara West at the front desk, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.

"Mrs. West?"

She sniffled and popped her head up. "Hmmm yes, Heather?"

"May I use the phone to call home? I don't think coming in today was such a great idea."

She nodded and passed the telephone over to her. Mrs. West's blonde hair had fallen flat and her mascara was running. Against Heather's better judgement and with much hesitation, she asked, "Mrs. West, are you alright?"

She sniffled. "Yeah yeah sweetie. Just an old green monster from high school reopening old wounds. You look in pain. Would you like some tylenol?"

Heather nodded, and the older woman brought forth a bottle, and tried desperately to open it. "Stupid...childproof caps..."

"Push down and turn," Heather suggested.

Mrs. West did so, and two pills fell into her hand. Heather downed the pills and dialed JD's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey it's Heather. I um...don't think I'm ready for school yet."

"Heather..."

"JD, I want to go home." Heather was quivering as she wrapped the cord around her finger, trying not to cry. "Everyone thinks I am a psycho, and I atempted suicide, and-and-"

"I'm in the car now," he said reassuringly. "Don't worry. Stay where you are."

Within ten minutes he had beaten the twenty minute drive and had called Mrs. West to let Heather know to leave the building. She swung her crutches and lunged forward.

When Heather realized Mrs. West thought she wasn't paying attention, the secretary extracted a mini M&M's container and emptied two pills into her hand, before swallowing it down with her flavored mineral water.

On her way out, and eyed Ben and Carol Lynn in a small argument.

"Babe the whole school believes it," Ben said softly.

"Before you know it she will be Monica's little minion!"

"Carol Lynn keep your voice down!"

"Like hell I will! You can bet my ass I am going to do all in my power to eviscerate her! If word got out-"

"It won't. Calm down."

Carol Lynn began to turn around, but Heather had already escaped out the front doors. JD was parked right out front, getting out of the car to help her in.

"What happened?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked as he loaded her into the car. He swiped a finger across her cheek and presented it to her. She had been crying.

He got in the car, locking the doors but not starting the engine. "Heather. What happened?"

She shook her head. "Someone at school spread a rumor that I tried to kill myself when I got in the accident. It's everywhere. Ms. Fleming even pulled me into her office to talk to me about suicide prevention."

JD's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Fleming...who started this rumor?"

"I really don't-"

"Who started it, Heather?!" He bellowed at her.

"C-Carol Lynn Fulbright. She was my friend."

He nodded and started driving. The drive home was spent in silence. Heather didn't mention anything about Phil, not knowing how to process that herself. One memory from that day had stood out though.

"Did my mother attempt suicide?" She asked, breaking the silence.

"Excuse me?" JD asked, stepping on the breaks.

"Ms. Fleming said she attempted suicide her senior year and you found her."

His face was bleached white. "Heather I don't think this is a good topic to discuss."

"Ms. Fleming said to talk to my mom-"

"Ms. Fleming doesn't know what she's talking about!" He yelled quickly before parking. "Here. I'll take a half day and check on you after lunch." His tone was sweet but still haste.

Heather nodded.

"Do you need help getting upstairs?"

She shook her head.

He kissed the top of her head. "Good. See you soon."

She got out of the car, and before she could blink, JD had disappeared.

* * *

Hi my lovely readers! I have so missed you! In the time I have been away I have started and ended a job student teaching and have had to work full time and do school! Wow! Anywho, last time I asked for name suggestions, and here are the ones I have collected over PM and reviews:

*(Ich Luge) Bullets

*Scrunchies

*Heathers

*Dinosaurs

*Slushies

*Corn Nuts

Feel welcome to vote on this. If you would like you can cast your ballot in a review or a PM and I can private message you what names have how many votes. Next chapter (whenever that will be) We might have a new name for you guys! Yay! So far Dinosuars and oddly enough Corn Nuts are two of my favorite entries, but if you would like to submit another feel free!

Now to our scheduled fun facts:

1\. Lexi is short for Alexia, as opposed to Alexis. She is actually two inches taller than Carol Lynn.

2\. Heather has yet to start that hero assignment. Kid is going to make a really bad grade on this if she keeps this up.

3\. The iPhone was originally released in 2007. It was the first of it's kind, spiraling a revolution of electronic devices. The only phone truly competing at the time was Blackberry phones, known for their desitinct physical keypad. Many believed iPhones would be a fad.

Thanks for reading. Let me know your fan theories and vote ballots. Have any questions for me and the characters? Write them below! Caught any of the references? Type them down! Want to actually write a review or a comment? Go for it, dude! Haha have a wonderful day!


	16. Chapter 16

Heather flung herself into the house, turning the lights on. She collapsed on JD's couch, curling up into a ball. In one hour so much had happened.

1\. Ms. Fleming, an apparent follower of the rumor mill, believed that Heather had attempted suicide and that was why she was in the hospital.  
2\. She learned her mother had attempted suicide while her age and pregnant, and her father found her.  
3\. Lexi, sister of Heather's supposed best friend, was the one perpetrating the rumor.  
4\. She realized her supposed best friend had probably invented the rumor, and made a faux show of compassion for sympathy.  
5\. Her stepfather-to-be revealed that he hated Heather, and apparently was having an affair.

Conclusion?

Today fucking sucked, and it was barely nine.

Exhausted from losing her shit repeatedly for the last several days, Heather desperately wanted to drown her sorrows away so that, maybe for just an hour, she could forget everything that had happened in the last several days. She opened the fridge and saw JD had a newly stocked six-pack carton of Budlight bottles. Not much of a beer drinker, she shut the fridge quietly. She had never seen JD drink, even when he brought over alcohol to her mother's, he never drank any of it. Seeing how his father was, maybe there was a reason for that. Good for him, but annoying for Heather, who desperately needed a drink, but realized that her already strained relationship with JD would become even more so if he opened the fridge and counted one bottle missing. Groaning, she hobbled over to the couch, collapsing on it. She had ultimately decided that stairs were too much effort at the moment, and instead folded her body to cover one single cushion, grabbing the folded up blanket on the arm of the couch and throwing it over herself.

...

Veronica rang JD's work phone for the fifteenth time. Today she didn't have any appointments, so instead of doing paperwork, all she was doing was worrying over Heathers Chandler and Sawyer...Dean...nope, Sawyer. No way in hell. She was not going to be a Dean. No while Veronica was still alive.

...Though given that she was currently trying to get ahold of her daughter's father, a serial killer, maybe she shouldn't speak so soon...

"Hello, Jason Dean PI."

"JD, it's Veronica."

The tone suddenly dropped. "Oh so that's the number that won't stop calling. Sorry I had an appointment."

"Sorry, I only had the number listed in the phone book," Veronica countered. It was true; he called once from a mobile phone to her ancient landline, which didn't have caller ID. That was the day he called to say Heather was moving in with him. The only way she was able to call him back was by calling the hospital and trying to get him. It didn't explain how he had her phone number. She now planned on replacing that landline as soon as possible.

"I'm assuming you called for a legitimate reason?" Hiss voice was calm, and oddly casual. "Chewing me out will make me prone to hanging up on you."

She growled and sucked her insults back in with a heavy breath. "Have you spoken to Jessica?"

She could hear a squeaking in the background, like a swivel chair creaking backward. "We just finished our appointment. I was wondering why she waited eighteen years to come forward, and I questioned her about it."

A silence followed from him, as if to build suspense, but Veronica was not interested in playing games. "And...?"

"She said she always had suspicions, but this year, on the eighteenth anniversary, she dug up the suicide not to read it. I guess her family thought it was on hard to look at. Then she realized that something was off about the note."

Veronica sighed. "It wasn't the charitable donations was it?"

"It had nothing to do with the sudden change in character. The note was in black ink."

"So?"

"Heather only wrote in red. Apparently she used to say she liked to correct everyone, and writing in red ink made her feel superior."

Veronica's brain went foggy with memories of Heather Chandler, she remembered red was her signature color, which Veronica used to see it as the blood of those who wronged her-a joke she felt was now an ironic foreboding. Her lips were a shade of red, her talon-like nails a deep red. Did Heather know how to write? She was evil, not stupid, Veronica. She tried to think back to any time she would have seen Heather's handwriting, especially one she would have used as a reference for the infamous note. Notes asking to meet after class, open letters to tell Martha how fat she was...

The vocab quiz.

 **Number 10. Myriad-** _Product used to combat vaginal yeast infections._ **Sentence example:** _Betty Finn is so dirty she has to use Myriad on her snatch._

 _*Heather please see me after class_

The memory of that day flooded back to Veronica like a nasty hangover.

 _Heather and Veronica sat beside each other in Language Arts, Heather fixing her lipstick with a compact mirror while talking. "And so Kurt totally accidentally put it in the wrong hole on purpose! Ugh, I will never trade him a quickie for booze ever again, I promise you that. Maybe it's a good thing you're a sad pathetic virgin, Veronica. You don't know the agonizing pain of appeasing lifeless bohunks for a Freddy or two."_

 _Veronica nodded, but wasn't truly listening. She was eyeing the mysterious Baudelaire-quoting hottie reading The Bell Jar in the back of the room. His trench coat draped off the chair, dusting the floor lightly like a cloak. Usually she didn't go for ash people (kids who wear all black) , but there was something about him. That tortured poetic soul thing-that Veronica absolutely digged._

 _"Veronica!"_

 _She turned back to see an irritated Heather. "Stop staring at Ted Bundy over there and get back to me!"_

 _Blood rushed to her cheeks. People could definitely hear Heather's screech, and that meant, the classic book-toting sex god probably did too. He looked up at her, winked, and went back to his reading._

 _Before she could revert her attention back, she heard a loud drag of the desk and an innocent squeal, followed by a scream. She looked. Betty Finn had accidentally nudged Heather's desk trying to slide in between desk, which caused Heather's lipstick to drag off her lips. Betty clutched her books, furiously apologizing as Heather took a makeup wipe to dab it off. The whole class was now watching the debacle. "BIANCA FINN!"_

 _Betty flew into the desk beside Heather. "Um...it's Betty, actually. Heather I am so so sorry. It was an accident!"_

 _Heather went to scream, but suddenly transformed into sweetness. "Shit happens, Betty."_

 _Just at that moment, their teacher walked into the room, placing his things on the desk. "Good afternoon, class. Please clear your desks for today's vocabulary quiz."_

 _Heather's blonde head whipped to Veronica. "Since do we have a vocab quiz?"_

 _Veronica pointed at the blackboard and motioned to the notice. "It's been written there since we got the words."_

 _Heather huffed. "Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw..."_

 _The teacher, not willing to comment at her language, as he was still confused as to what she had just said, simply reminded her, "Miss Chandler remember you cannot be using red pen on your tests. Next time I see it you are receiving an automatic failing grade."_

 _Growling to herself, she turned to Veronica. "Pass the quill please."_

 _Veronica dug out an extra black pen out of her bag, handing it to her._

 _By the end of class, everybody had received their quizzes back. While Heather initially seem enraged by her grade, smiled to herself afterward, oddly pleased._

 _"What did you make?" Veronica asked in the last few minutes before the bell rang._

 _Heather shrugged. "Better than I thought," she said, not really paying attention to Veronica but to the girl on the other side of her. "Oh Betty? I was wondering if you could look over my quiz and help me with what I missed. My mother will be an absolute witch if I make a mark like this again."_

 _Betty eagerly agreed, taking the paper and reading over it. The first few she quickly and politely correcting Heather on the marks she missed, and then her eyes drifted to the tenth word, where she read Heather's definition clearly, and her eyes memorized the sentence written. Tears sprung to her eyes, and just as she opened her mouth to speak-_

 _BRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!_

 _Betty handed the paper back and ran from the room. Heather let out a long, maniacal laugh. Veronica must have given her a look, because Heather handed her the quiz to read. Once she got to question ten, she gasped in horror._

 _"What's your damage, Heather?!"_

 _She laughed once again. "She had it coming."_

 _Realizing she couldn't risk losing Heather's good side to an argument , she simply read the quiz over. "You purposely got myriad wrong for the sake of a joke?"_

 _Heather gathered her books and stood, tugging her stockings above her knees. "Oh no, I thought that's what it was, that's why I saw it as a golden opportunity. I'm not risking my GPA on a joke, no matter how funny it is." When Veronica didn't respond, she simply flipped her teased, blonde tresses before saying, "Keep it. Use it to remember how you were once on the bottom of the food chain, and how you would never like to return to being the dirt maggots eat."_

 _With that, Heather sauntered off, ignoring the teacher ordering her to speak to him at once._

The memory spent chills up the now adult Veronica's spine. She had ended up using that vocab quiz as a handwriting reference for the fake suicide note. She had remembered the style of forming the letters, not the ink color.

 _Stupid, Veronica._

"I wrote the note in black ink," Heather said, stating the obvious.

"As we've come to realize," JD spat. "How... _sloppy_ of you, Veronica."

Anger boiled in her blood, not only because of her ex's antagonistic banter, but, as much as it killed her to admit it, he was right. How could she have forgotten one of the most iconic things about the Mythic Bitch?

Her question was though, why hadn't this fatal mistake been uncovered before?

"Why wasn't that mentioned before?" Heather asked.

"Well if it was a true quirk of our now departed friend, then only somehow who truly knew Heather would be smart enough to point it out-and it seemed nobody really did. At least none that read that suicide note."

His words hit her hard. How sad was that, to be seen as such a hyperbolized figure that not even your best friends really knew youth the core.

 _"I never knew about her pain..."_

 _"Her life had hid a rocky path."_

 _"Deep down she wasn't cruel or vain..."_

The words swirled around Veronica's head. Some of the people who said that were considered some of her best friends, and yet nobody noticed the fatal flaws.

"Jessica also said that even alone Heather would keep a tiny book where she record all the wrongdoings people did to her, so she would never forget to abate vengeance. When her parents discovered the book for the first time, they assumed it was a list of being she has hurt, but Jessica had seen her sister write in it with fury. I guess the suicide note was the final piece in the puzzle that was her sister's death. She apparently went to the police, and they told her she had no case. That there was no evidence of any foul play."

Veronica understood both parties. Heather Chandler had chosen to take the up and sip from it- despite not knowing the true contents. She only started to struggle once she realized that the acid was attacking her esophagus, and by then it was too late. No one pushed her or wrestled her to eternal sleep. Maybe did not even realize she had been intentionally poisoned by JD, which hit her in the gut more than it did before. Heather might not have realized she was going to die until the very end. With Ram and Kurt, at least Kurt, who took longer to kill, once they saw the guns they realized that they were in mortal danger. Yet, she could agree with the cops. A suicide note in a different color ink and a sudden change of heart was not enough to reopen an investigation.

"Wait...if the police agreed that there was not enough to open an investigation with, why did you take it on? You could have turned it away as well..." Her heart pounded against her chest, knowing her ex. Everything Jason Dean did was incredibly calculated. He didn't do things without thinking of a consequence or benefit he would receive. "You should have just told her the same as the cops."

"And I would have, if I didn't think there was a chance that she'd easily go to another investigator who would take the case. This way it's easier to control the outcome of this situation. I can bury this, you just have to trust me.'

Heather sighed into the phone. As much as she hated him, she didn't feel like she had any other choice. If she were to anger him he could easily turn the whole situation on her. She couldn't think about this anymore. This, combined with Heather not being home, have given her several sleepless nights. Poor Phil wasn't getting much sleep either, because of Veronica being up at all hours. Phil had tried to suggest that maybe the move was best for her, that maybe separation would make them stronger, and Veronica, even with knowing he said it with good intentions, made her tell him off. He had not taken that well, but Veronica quickly apologized. The night before he had given her sleeping pills, which helped some but not enough to take the pain away. "H-how's Heather?"

"Dead, I think you should know that by now. Drain-O Juice Cleanse."

Veronica made an aggravated noise and sighed. " _My_ Heather."

"Oh _our_ Heather?" JD corrected. "She's hanging in there. I'm actually going to finish up here and go see her."

"Go see her?" Veronica looked at her calendar. It was a weekday. "Doesn't she have school?"

"Oh yeah, but during second period or so she called me saying she wasn't feeling well. I think her medication was messing with her. "

"Oh..." Her heart pounded against her chest. Was she okay? Was her baby hurting? "Is-is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. I'm just gonna keep an eye on her. If I need to take her back to the doctor I'll let you know. Listen V, I gotta go. I have some paperwork I have to finish bullshitting."

With that, the phone clicked off without a goodbye.

...

Heather awoke to a creaking in the basement. It was a series of long, eerie _crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaakkkkks_ , one after another. At first Heather ignored them, trying to go back to sleep, when a thump jolted her upright. Another, then a THUD. Maybe JD was home and was downstairs doing laundry?

Or what if someone is in the house? Heather's irrational inner voice whispered.

Heather moved the blanket off her legs and turned the TV on.

 **THUD.**

What if there is a murderer in the house?!

"Shut up Heather," she mumbled to herself, trying to slip back into sleep.

 _Creeeeeeeeeeak!_

Succumbing to her fears, Heather shot up, looking for the landline to call JD with. Veronica and Heather's grandparents seemed to keep them in the kitchen or the living room, but to her knowledge there were none that she knew of.

 **CLAP!**

Jumping up, Heather scurried over to the door leading to the basement. She snatched the black, metal flashlight off the hook by the door, turning the handle so light streamed from the tool. Undoing the latch lock of the door, Heather trudged down the first two stairs, ready to turn her seeing tool into a weapon if need be.

Even with the flashlight's guidance, the basement was a dark abyss to Heather, her only being able to see the next few stairs ahead of her. Her ankle throbbed as she pressed her weight onto it with each step, moving slowly to both not anger the injury and to not hurt herself down the stairs. She had forgotten to take her pain medication before school, which now she was truly regretting. JD was still holding onto all of her prescriptions, his orders being to ask when she needed it. For some reason it was evident he did not want her to have direct access to the medication. Did he too believe that the accident was a failed suicide attempt?

"Hello?" Heather asked softly into the abyss, feeling stupid for speaking as soon as sound escaped from her mouth. A slow, aching noise followed, sounding impeccably close. She clutched the flashlight and rolled her wrist inward as she held it above her head, ready to strike. "Is anyone there?"

The sound of a door opening and closing shook her to the core. Her heart was now in her throat, pounding fast and loud, ready to be vomited with bile. She could not pinpoint where the sound had come from, and suddenly the stair under her started to quiver. She jumped back a stair, but without being able to see, missed it. Her good foot caught the edge of the ascending step and went airbound, all of her weight going to her bad ankle, which was starting to lose strength. Another long wail came from the stairwell, and just as Heather was ready to run back upstairs, she heard a crack and her ankle give way. Her bad leg sank down, the rest of her toppling forward onto the cascade of stairs, causing her to shriek in surprise and fear.

The flashlight escaped from her clutch and tumbled down the stairwell, the light flashing once before going out. A metal clank could be heard as it hit its final destination. Now without a light source or a way to call for help, panic began to set in. Heather pulled her good knee back, it now feeling sore from absorbing a point in the fall. She dragged her elbows in a similar position as well, them now aching. At last she tried to move her other leg. With an exhausted moan, came an unbearable, seething pain from her ankle to the arch of her foot. Heather shrieked again from the pain, unable to control the sound.

"Heather?!" Called a familiar voice. Another door, closer to her, make a sharp noise as wood hit drywall. A light streamed through onto the first half of the staircase, nearly blinding her. She squinted her eyes, looking up, praying for life, or at least a quick, painless death.

A halo of darkness clung to the figure standing in the doorway to the upstairs. A long cape hung stiff at his calves, a pair of dark wash jeans standing out. Once her vision settles, she realized then the stiff cape was an outdated trench coat , belonging to none other than her father.

At that moment, Heather began to silently pray for a merciful death.

* * *

Hello, loyal readers! I know it has been quite a long time, and for that I am truly sorry.

On January 11, 2018, my grandmother passed away after a viscous eleven month battle with cancer. My grandmother was my best friend, and for many months I have lost the motivation to watch to or listen to musicals or write, as she was the one who introduced me to my artistic side. Doing anything since her death has been much of a struggle. In fact I wrote most of this chapter months ago, even honestly telling one of you loyal fans that I was just a scene away from finishing. That ending scene you just read took three months to pull together to write in a night. I cannot promise I will be posting (semi) regularly again, but I do promise I am going to be doing the best I can to try to redevelop a writing routine so you guys are not left on such rude waits. I am so sorry.

On another note, we should probably continue on to our chapter-ly fun facts.

1\. Landlines, for those who don't know, are these types of phone lines connected to people's homes. Most cases they don't have texting or apps, but make phone calls. You hook up these wireless phones to chargers and you can place them in multiple rooms in your home. (Sort of a joke fun fact)

2\. Ms. Fleming should technically be retired, but blew her retirement fund on a failed pitch for a reality show where she holds interventions for teens wanting to commit suicide. She will be working until she dies.

3\. Heather Duke wrote a book about her life with Heather Chandler, turning it into a victim story, and warped the suicide to be about her.

* * *

Last but not least is our lunchtime poll: reader names! We have them narrowed down to our select few remainders. People have either DMed or written in reviews their picks and here are the last remaining to vote for, which you can do so by DMing me or putting in your review. The winning name will be introduced in chapter seventeen.

Our candidates:

*Dinosaurs (like "We're what killed the dinosaurs")

*Scrunchies (a reference to infamous red hair accessory owned by Heather Chandler)

*Slushies (a reference to JD's crack)

Please vote! Thank you all for reading and your continued support. I will be taking a Q and A in the footnotes of Chapter Seventeen, so please send in questions, and don't worry, I will try to address questions that have already been sent. Thank you all for everything you have brought to my life, and keeping me going.

-Ginny.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Thank you for reading this far! High fives and slushies to you all! I would just like to warn you, this chapter contains themes of abortions and bullying. I don't think my writing should be enough to trigger someone, but just in case these things are enough to upset someone, I would like to warn ahead of time before reading. Also just because my character has a certain belief, does not mean I as the author share that belief too. Or I might. Please remember that this is a work of fiction and not a reflection on me. Also don't kill people and write fake suicide notes. Not very. I'm terrible at disclaimers...**

 **Without further adieu, welcome to chapter seventeen of well... Seventeen!**

* * *

JD carefully trudged down the wooden stairs and crouched down. "How far down did you go?!" He demanded.

Heather groaned in pain.

"HOW FAR DID YOU MAKE IT?!"

She tapped the stair his feet were planted on. His demeanor changing, he groaned himself and sighed, dragging his hand over his face in frustration. "Are you hurt?" He asked, his tone now cool and even, now with a hint of compassion.

"My foot got caught," she croaked. He moved his head in the direction of her leg, now frozen in place.

"Looks like the step snapped and buried your foot with it," he said. "I'm going to have to lift you out."

The thought of JD lifting her, for some reason, made her uncomfortable. Maybe it was a self concious thing. Maybe it was the fact that she just broke a major rule.

"Hold on," he said, gently grabbing the leg trapped under the wood. Heather yelped. He shushed her soothingly, sliding one hand across her back, the other under her kees. With a gentle jerk he slid her leg out of the hole and stood, cradling her like a child. He instantly set her down, ordering for her to only place her good food down. Draping her arm across his shoulders and clutching her waist, he guided her up the stairs as carefully as he could, dragging her over to the couch and sitting her down.

"Sit down," he ordered, going back into the kitchen. She obeyed, pulling her feet into a cushion. He returned a moment later, ice pack in hand. He lifted her legs, causing her to whine in pain as he sat, laying her ankles on his lap, placing the ice directly on it. Examining the leg, he spoke.

"I don't have many rules, Heather."

Guilt shot her in the chest, bleeding her out slowly. She was left at a loss of words. Before she could find any though, he was already back to speaking. "I didn't make those rules to be an asshole, young lady. I did it to keep you safe. I told you that going down to the basement was dangerous and you refused to listen."

"I-"

"This is exactly something your mother would do," he said in a dark voice, a new tone to Heather. The sound made a shiver crawl up her arms, traveling to her spine and up the back of her neck. "God, why can't you just _behave,_ Veronica?!"

Heather flinched at the sound of her mother's name. He didn't take back calling her her mother's name, so she wasn't sure if it was intentional or a Freudian slip.

"I-I thought-"

"Look," he continued. "I _specifically_ singled out the basement because it was dangerous. What the hell were you thinking of doing?! Playing hide and seek?!"

"JD..."

His anger was now becoming explosive. His muscles tensed, and the grip on her leg became tighter. She realized he had no clue how tight he was holding her, as one pair of blue eyes cut daggers into another. "I told you going down there would be dangerous for you! But did you listen?!"

The grip on her almost made her scream. "J- _DAD YOU'RE HURTING ME!"_

Both of them flipped back in surprise. Heather hadn't meant to say that, and had no idea where it had come from. JD released her leg, and she instinctively drew her legs back.

"I'm sorry," They both said in unison. He looked at her.

Heather decided not to mention the slip of tongue, as she figured maybe if she didn't say anything it wouldn't be forever committed to memory. "I heard noises in the basement and didn't have a phone to call you with. I thought someone had broken in."

She pulled her arms in close, hugging herself tightly. He sighed, releasing a long drawn out breath. "I didn't mean to lose it, it's just the thought of you getting hurt again...it terrifies me." He gently examined her once more before letting her go. "Nothing seems broken, thank god. You're probably just going to feel bruised."

She nodded, not looking at him. He cleared his throat, taking his cellphone from his pocket and checking it. He groaned, sliding the device back into his pocket and standing up. "Where are your crutches?"

"Against the back wall."

He walked over and took them, passing them over to her. "Good. Get them on, we're leaving."

Heather asked where they were going. JD picked up his keys, putting on his trenchcoat. "Your mother's. I have to go pick up some things, and I wasn't going to make you go see her, but after this little incident we'll make that your punishment."

...

Veronica was nonetheless surprised to see Heather with JD at the door. She smiled big, and went to hug her. "Hey sweetie!"

Heather pulled backward, but this time, not in JD's direction. Last time she retracted. He snaked his arm around her anyway, keeping her close. "I came to collect some paperwork," JD said. "I also have some stuff for you. It'll need to be an adult matter."

Veronica nodded in understanding. "Of course." She looked at her daughter, using her old pet name for her, the one she had called her since she was a baby. "Mini, do you want to go upstairs for a little bit?"

"Minnie?" JD questioned.

" _Mini,_ " Veronica corrected. "Because she used to be called my Mini Me."

JD smoothed back their daughter's hair with his hand. Heather's face flushed in embarrassment from both parties, but nodded when JD asked, "Why don't you go to your room and grab some stuff you'd like to take back home with you?"

She nodded and hobbled up the stairs, not bothering to look at either parent. JD and Veronica had moved to the kitchen, speaking in hushed tones. Heather assumed it was about custody arrangements. She trudged through the hallway, hearing a small mechanical beeping from her mother's room. Her alarm clock. If left unattended the damn thing would beep for half an hour, driving anyone absolutely insane. Heather groaned and swung herself into the master bedroom, heading to the nightstand. She switched off the alarm, noticing a little blue book beside Veronica's lamp. Heather had never seen it before, but oddly enough felt compelled to grab it. Next to it was a...monocle? Oh my fucking god, was that a _monocle?!_ Heather snatched the book, opening it to the first page, which read:

 _September 1, 1989_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I believe I'm a good person. You know I think there's good in everyone, but here we are, first day of senior year, and I look around at these kids I've known all my life and I ask myself, "WHAT HAPPENED?!"_

Hold the fuck up. _Diary?!_ Heather flipped through the pages, eying through the dates. The dates seemed to stop the next year, after Heather's birth. The dates pick up again to recent, and Heather then realized.

This was her mother's diary. A diary which, if she was correct, would have a recorded account of her mother's relationship with her father, and the supposed suicide attempt Ms. Fleming spoke about that morning. She had to read this. From start to finish.

Heather skipped to a random page and started reading.

But first...

Dear Diary...

 _Veronica sat on Martha's bed, gnawing on a Twizzler and shoving a pillow behind her back. She stared at the papers in front of her, studying each word._

 _"Veronica, you're going to need to tell your parents soon," Martha urged. "Prom is coming up and I don't think you'll be able to wear my clothes to that."_

 _Veronica rubbed her swollen belly absentmindedly, not removing her eyes from the paper. "I think this trig test is more important, Martha."_

 _"I'm serious."_

 _"As am I."_

 _"Veronica."_

 _She huffed. "I'm planning on it, Martha. I'm just waiting for the right time to tell."_

 _"So the delivery room?"_

 _"No!" She sighed as she finished chewing the Twizzler, reaching for another. What she really wanted was pizza, but Heather wouldn't be over with it for the next little while. "I...I want to make up my mind about what to do with it first, before I tell them. It's too late for an abortion."_

 _"You would have aborted it?!" Martha gasped._

 _"Yes...No...I don't know, Martha!" Veronica threw her hair up in a ponytail. "I'm an unwed single teenaged mother in high school. It's not the best time to be raising a kid. I got accepted into Brown. I've worked too hard to be rid of Sherwood, and even just having this kid could set me back. And if I put it up for adoption...I don't know. What if it goes to some psychopath family that only allows their children to read nonfiction and thinks MTV is witchcraft?"_

 _Martha gave an innocent smile and shrugged. "But what if this little human changes your life for the better? Or this perfect family in need gets the baby they've always wanted?"_

 _The child of a psychopath and a liar, who wouldn't want that?_

 _Veronica didn't respond, allowing Martha to say what Veronica then realized had been on her mind for months._

 _"Is this because you haven't told the father?"_

 _Veronica put her trig notes in front of her face, so Martha wouldn't see her face._

 _"Have you tried to tell JD? Call his dad? Maybe he'd want to help."_

 _A gasp escaped Veronica before she could stop. The paper fell from her hands, fluttering in the air back onto her bed. Trying to regain dignity, she poked her chin up. "I don't know why I would do that."_

 _"Oh come on V, I know. Anybody who believed that you started sleeping around after Ram and Kurt while with JD is completely out of it. I also know he was the only guy at our school you'd be willing to lose your virginity to."_

 _Sometimes it scared her how well Martha knew her. Veronica knew there was no way the Deans would have any part of her child's life, even if she kept it. JD was gone, and he wasn't coming back. Bud had moved onto another town. Even if the Deans were present, JD would be the last person who should have custody and responsibility over another human being. This baby would be used against her if he was still around, and she had no doubt in her mind that the kid would end up just as screwed up as its asshole father. He'd use their baby to trap her, and then make it leverage whenever she'd try to leave. There would be no escape. That was something she'd never wish on this tiny human inside of her-it wasn't its fault that its father came from s line of mentally tortured lunatics. Deep in her heart, she hoped it wasn't a boy-she felt like it would be too much like his father and she'd subconsciously resent him- and she didn't feel like she could live with the guilt that came with that._

 _She tried to imagine what the baby would look like. Brown hair, most likely, maybe with JD's tanner skin. Maybe his long eyelashes too, the ones that she was secretly jealous of. Given Veronica's cravings, would probably live on a diet of Hawaiian pizza (which made Veronica vomit), and cherry slushies (God's sense of humor she was sure). Hopefully the baby would have this crazy smart brain, which is a trait from JD that even Veronica had to admire now. She could already see this newborn child in her arms, resting in the crook of her arm as she read to it. Its first steps, clinging onto her fingers before releasing, taking off and laughing. Calling her "Mama," a title which, no matter how unsettling it was to imagine carrying that name, seemed almost wrong to see someone else carrying that title for her child._

 _The butterflies filled her stomach again for the umpteenth time. She rubbed her belly, shushing the baby. It always seemed to know when it was the topic of discussion. The doctor said it was already kicking, and has been described as a feeling similar to butterflies._

 _"I have the greasy abomination!" Sang a voice from the hall, most definitely belonging to the yellow-clad friend of theirs._

"Here, I have some papers in my room, let me go get it..."

Heather shut the diary, and forgetting to put it back, swung herself to her room as quickly as humanly possible. Her heart was racing. As she ducked behind her door, she could see her mother stepping into the hallway, JD not far behind.

Heather released a sigh of relief and threw the diary in a drawstring bag from her closet, along with a few other books she plucked from her shelves to reread, and Josie, the stuffed bear she had slept with every night for as long as she could remember. She threw a few items of clothing in, burying in her mother's diary until she felt satisfied.

Afraid of being caught with the book, Heather moved onto her desk, turning on her computer. She hadn't seen the Internet in weeks, meaning her MySpace and blogs had been left untouched, much to the chagrin of all forty-seven of her Xanga followers. While she didn't have the time to energy to write a post, she more than certainly could check her feed and update MySpace. Logging into MySpace, she saw that her most recent log in had been that morning.

That couldn't be right...she hadn't been online in weeks...

Clicking on her profile, she saw a blog post, titled **U Want 2 No the Truth?**

 **If ur reading this it means u want 2 no wth is going on lol. Well here it is. Ben broke up w/me bcuz i would only deepthroat him. U see, i have a hairy pussy and he wuld have been fucking cousin it down there. Wen he broke up w/me, i wanted to make him pay. Every1 wuld see ben and blame him for what happened. so i stole a car and drove off the old mill bridge. I wuz gonna drown in the creek and every1 wuld see how awful Ben wuz. Sadly sum1 found me and instead my cunt mother put me in a nuthouse. Im out now but Ben wont see me cuz he says itll mess w/my treatment. Jokes on him. Im off my meds and am ready to fuck every person in this damn skool. Guys and gals wanting to fuck cousin it message me!**

Heather gasped and covered her mouth. Who would believe she wrote this?

One hundred and fourteen comments.

With a shaking hand, she dragged the mouse over, clicking to read them. She was drawing, ragged, raw breaths, the oxygen fighting a knot in her throat to get down. Not a single comment was kind. All were nasty and perverted, some even telling her to try driving off the bridge again. One told her to go hang herself. Another asked if they could have a night with psycho Cousin It. One told her to take all of her antipsychotics at once and see what happens.

Heather's hand was shaking so badly that the mouse slid off the desk, crashing onto the floor. She couldn't breathe. A staring force pressed on her chest, stopping her from breathing, her vision blurred.

"Hey Heather, have you had lunch? I was thinking-" Veronica and JD had been discussing how to throw Jessica Chandler off her trail, and to find a way to bury this. JD had mentioned something about lunch, and they agreed to go get something. She needed to act cordial to him, for Heather's sake.

When Veronica poked her head in, Heather's back was to the door, facing her computer screen. That desktop had become the bane of Veronica's existence ever since Heather had received it for Christmas. Day and night that girl would write on it. Yet this was different. Heather was trembling, her shoulders moving up and down in a unique way. "Heather?"

A sniffle arose from their daughter, followed by a pained sob that sounded muffled. Veronica barged in, a trenchcoat following. As they stepped closer, it was evident that Heather was having an absolute panic attack, and was trying with all of her might not to break how's into hysterics. Veronica hadn't seen her like this since the incident at her last school...

"Heather...?!"

Her daughter shook her head, still trying not to become hysterical. Her eyes didn't move from the screen. "I'm fine...I'm fine..."

"Heather, sweetheart what is wrong?!"

JD ignored Veronica, taking Heather's swivel chair and turning it away from the computer and to face him.

"I'm fine..." Heather insisted, choking on her own voice and shaking like a leaf. Tears streamed down her face. "I'm fine..."

Veronica watched as her ex crouched without a word, taking Heather's hands gently and lifting her to her feet. "Come here," he said softly, pulling her into his arms, her face buried in his chest. One hand holding the back of her head, the other rubbing her back as she broke into loud sobs. Not moving from his position, his eyes scanned the screen, quickly reading. Veronica did as well. The blog was above, a few top comments below.

 **Go hang urself.**

 **Ur mom should have aborted u.**

 **You are an absolute piece of shit. Maybe you should go off the bridge again. This time don't stop.**

 **How much for a night with Heather and the Cousin It bush?**

Veronica's breath was stolen from her. What kind of people would say that to someone?! She looked at JD. The look in his eyes...it was unlike any type of look she had ever seen. It was as if you had said the trigger word for a hypnotized person. He didn't say anything about the computer, but instead continued soothing the broken teenager in his embrace. "Shh...I know baby...I know...I've got you, baby. Go on and cry. No one is getting to you. I promise."

This macho mode he was in felt all too reminiscent of eighteen years before. Veronica remembered being held by him in that same way when the Heathers and the jocks had tortured her after the attempted date rape. Holding her tightly enough to where she felt safe, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. For ten minutes, JD was the perfect, understanding superhero. He was going to save her from all of her problems.

Then she remembered what happened after those ten minutes. JD was no hero, but someone who needed saving from himself.

Veronica, a bit upset, watched as JD perfectly moved their daughter to the bed and held her to him, letting her cry it out as he took a drawstring backpack that had been left on the pillow and dropped it to the floor.

"It's not true..." Heather choked out.

"I know. Shhhh..."

This was Veronica's job. This had been Veronica's job for seventeen years. She was the one to calm Heather down during the few times she'd cry. Heather, like her mother, was never a big crier, but would when pressure would build up over time and it was unbearable to take anymore. That was when Veronica wouldn't be there, ready to catch her baby when she needed it. Veronica was a territorial mother, and did not like another person on her turf, especially JD.

...

Within fifteen minutes, Heather had fallen asleep. JD had moved her and laid her on her pillow, him still sitting on the bed.

Veronica shook her head in disbelief. "She never...she hasn't been that bad in a long time. She's never been much of a crier."

JD snorted. "Really? Because I think _all_ she's done as of recent is try not to. Can you blame her though? With everything that's happened in the last month. From high school bullshit to stuff with her family...she was bad on Halloween."

That caught Veronica's attention. "Halloween?"

"She called me in the middle of the night asking for a ride home. She wouldn't tell me what happened, but she seemed pretty shaken."

"She...she called you? But not me?"

He shrugged. "When I saw her she was in a costume I can't imagine you letting her out of the house wearing. She didn't want to go home, so I made her dinner and let her watch TV until she was ready for me to take her home."

Veronica was gaping. "Do you realize just _how_ creepy that is?!"

"She's my kid!"

"You didn't know for sure then! And _she_ sure as hell didn't know!"

JD sighed. "Look Veronica, can we not argue today? For Heather's sake."

"She's asleep."

"Yes and I would like her to stay that way." He looked over her Heather carefully. "After the day she's had she deserves some rest."

Veronica relaxed, sinking into the swivel chair, the MySpace page still on the screen. She looked at the young woman asleep in the bed, remembering how she was once this small baby who wouldn't sleep without her mother holding her and rocking her. Where had the time gone? By this time next year, she'd be in college. An adult.

JD moved hair from Heather's face and pointed at the computer. "Do you have access to that page?"

Veronica nodded. "Of course. I have the passwords to all of Heather's social media. I check in on her every now and then, but I guess I haven't been checking it as much as usual." She turned to power off the machine, but JD intervened.

"Wait," he said. "Email me the link to her MySpace page, and her password. I can track the IP address at work. I can figure out who hacked it. We can take it to the authorities once we know who it is."

Unprepared for such a mature suggestion, it took Veronica a second to realize what he was saying. Once it clicked, she nodded, logging into her Yahoo account. "What's your email? Slushiebomber711 at AOL?"

JD gave a snort and responded with a perfectly legitimate and professional email address. It was almost as if JD wasn't...well, JD. He was mature, caring, and rational. This wasn't the man who had knocked her up. This was...someone else. Someone, as much as it scared her, she didn't loathe with every ounce of her being.

"Thank you," she said quietly, after the email was sent.

He nodded. "There are more important things right now than the past, Ronnie. Heather is damaged. She's just seventeen, and she just deserves to be normal. She wants a life with me. She has every right. I'm going to stay in her life if that's what she chooses."

At this point, Veronica no longer felt like arguing about it. "I don't want to talk about it right now. Back to Jessica. Does she have any suspects?"

"A few. She said she'd suggest Ram and Kurt but after their deaths she thinks it would be the same killer. Right now she's said Garrett Klovich-"

"Who?"

"Nerd guy. She drunkenly slept with him and then told everyone that he jerked off to pictures of his grandmother."

The name suddenly returned to her. Nerdy boy. Glasses. Liked to wear a NASA shirt all the time. "Unlikely but okay. Who else?"

"Heather Duke, who honestly wouldn't be _that_ hard to pin it on..."

"No!"

"I'm joking!" He coughed. "Sort of. Anyway, the last suspect is _you._ "

Veronica gasped. For a second Heather stirred at the noise, but quickly calmed herself back down.

JD nodded. "Apparently the last thing that she wrote in that little black book of hers was your name. Don't worry though, I'm making sure there wouldn't be any connection to you. You need to trust me."

"Do you know what would happen if we were caught?! What would happen to Heather?!"

"Veronica, it's okay. Calm down. It's going to be okay."

It was the same voice he had used on Heather moments ago. And it immediately made her feel more at ease. JD checked his watch. "We've got to head out." He stood up, taking the drawstring bag and sliding it over his shoulder.

"What? Why?"

"Because I have work to do, V."

She stood up, looking at Heather. Seeing her in that bed for the first time in what felt like forever, was a feeling she was not ready to be rid of. "Oh don't wake her up. Let her sleep!"

JD peeled the comforter back and carefully scooped the teenager up into his arms. "I plan on it. I've carried heavier. Besides, if she wakes up at my place maybe she'll think it was a dream."

He carried her as if she weighed nothing. He was never that strong. In high school he had trouble carrying Veronica's trigonometry textbook. How was he carrying a human being? Heather wasn't exactly the size of a toddler. Heather's brown hair pressed against the black of JD's coat, falling over the crook of his arm. At her age, Veronica had preferred to keep hers at medium length, but Heather preferred to grow hers out, but as Veronica noticed, it was longer than she normally liked to keep it. Her hair passed her chest now.

"We'll talk tomorrow."

...

When Heather woke up, it was two AM. She was in her bed at JD's house, Josie the bear tucked in beside her. Josie? How was Josie here...?

Still in a fog, Heather pulled herself out of bed and hobbled out of the room. She couldn't find her crutches, nor did she care. She was hungry. Starving, even. When had she last eaten? When did she get in bed?

Heather hobbled into the narrow hallway, holding onto the walls for balance as she plunged through the darkness, clinging to the the stream of light that seemed miles away, which Heather believed to be the stairway light, which she had never seen JD turn off. She dragged herself to the light, finding herself at a room, the door slightly cracked. She peeked in curiously, seeing her father tear off his trenchcoat and throw it across the room as if he had just gotten home, wringing his hands together as he paced around the room. "Dammit Veronica...this should have ended years ago."

He raked a hand through his hair, pulling his phone from his pocket before growling. "Fuck it!"

He stomped over to a side of the room Heather could not see, but could hear papers rustling and typing. A tickle ran through Heather's nose. He was grumbling words to himself, seeming extremely agitated.

"ACHOO!" Escaped Heather before she could contain it.

The rustling of papers and typing suddenly came to a halt. Still half asleep, Heather didn't think to retreat or hide, but simply stood in place as JD walked to the door, slithering through the opening. His expression quickly went from rage to one of compassion like a switch. He ran his fingers through his dark hair, his blue eyes settling on her. "Hey...what are you doing up this late?"

I could ask the same thing, she thought, but feared to say it aloud.

Luckily for her, he spoke before she had the chance to. "You hungry? I can make you something. You slept through dinner. Here, come on."

He placed his hand on her upper back and guided her back to her bedroom, sitting her at her desk. "You can eat at your desk. It'll save you the trouble of having to go up and down the stairs."

He rubbed her upper back affectionately before exiting quickly. Heather, in her last few seconds of consciousness, heard an unfamiliar click across the hall, like a door locking shut with a key.

...

Heather tugged the jacket around her black t-shirt as she entered the halls of Westerburg High. It had taken her waking up for school that morning to recall what had happened the day before. JD had tried talking her out of taking the day off, and while the idea was more than tempting, Heather knew her grades were slipping and that she needed the attendance. JD had very reluctantly allowed her to return to class, and seemed much more hyper than he had been in the past. He had urged her to call should she decide to cut her day short, and insisted he would be at the school before she could hang up.

"Heather! Hi!"

Heather looked up from the floor, expecting to see Ben or a Fulbright sister, ready to taunt and tease Heather out of Westerburg. Yet she didn't. Instead she saw a short redhead with a smiling face.

...Monica?

Heather gave a curt smile, embarrassed that Monica had been right about Ben and positive she was to endure torment by yet another person.

"Hey," Monica said. A sincere expression was exposed, one that caught Heather off guard. "I heard what happened and didn't know how to contact you. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Heather replied cautiously as she walked to her locker. There she saw a girl she recognized from her journalism class, sobbing hysterically into a friend's arms. Heather then noticed she was not the only one. Everyone in the halls had a somber, melancholy aura about them, and it made the dimly lit halls seem even darker. One student spoke tearfully to another. Everyone was heartbroken, but why?

"What's going on...?" Heather thought aloud.

Monica gasped. "Oh my god. You don't know..."

Fear struck Heather in the heart infecting her stomach and limbs to where she could no longer move. "Kn-know what?"

Monica sighed, twirling a piece of ginger hair before inhaling a shaky breath. "Well Carol Lynn—"

"What about her?"

"Carol Lynn Fulbright? Committed suicide last night."

* * *

 **Dun dun dunnnnnnnn! You had to know the grim reaper was going to drop by sooner or later! I would just like to thank you all so much for reading this far in my silly little fanfiction! I learned that this is the #2 most followed and favorited Heathers fanfiction on this website, and the one with the most reviews! That is absolutely insane, and I would like to thank you all so much for making this so much bigger than I could have ever imagined. Honestly, it has kept me writing this almost two years later. I'm bigger than John Lennon! In my excitement I actually made this chapter longer than usual (about 1500 words longer), so please forgive me for that.**

 **Now, to the important business.**

 **First and foremost a shoutout to Golden80s for helping me these last few months with keeping my writing alive, and with some lines that have snuck their way into this chapter, and I am so grateful to have had someone so eager to read and analyze and give advice, as well as push me these last few months! Also to TrailerTrash, for that wonderful trailer. Also to my roaster, , because I thoroughly enjoyed being called out in the most hilarious ways. Also I'll take you up on that reference drinking game. I might have alcohol poisoning at the end though :)**

 **I would like to say I am so thankful to have a name for my readers now! I love my...*drumroll please***

 **DEAD GAY SONS!**

 **Hahahahahaha, just kidding, though I wish I had thought of that earlier, because then maybe that would have made into the lunchtime poll. The REAL winner is...**

 **DINOSAURS!**

 **Believe it or not, Dinosaurs only won by ONE vote, Slushies following as a close second. I think I had six votes combined in DMs and Reviews, and five for Slushies. so I now imagine you all in those inflatable dinosaur costumes sipping blue raspberries with red scrunchies on your wrists like bracelets. How beautiful.**

 **Okay Ginny that got weird awfully quick...**

 **Pretending I didn't just say that, let us move onto the Q and A.**

Golden80's chapter 15 . Feb 14

Has she thought of calling him JDad?

.

.  
I'm not apologizing

[Please update soon]

 **Ginny: I am doing that awkward smile so big right now.**

Fangirl0103 chapter 15 . Mar 3

Oh, this story is so awesome. I've only just joined the Heathers fandom but I'm really loving it. I'm so glad that JD is back and alive - I was punching the air when it revealed his name, he's my favourite character - and I'm happy that I guessed that he was Heather's dad. I really like all the references - especially stupid childproof caps, and the one about Veronica actually killing someone. Quick question: How would Heather react to finding out about the Suicide Ring, and will she actually get some proper friends? Will JD and Veronica please start getting along, because I love them (and still kinda ship them) and does JD sense about Phil's cheating (Well done on that, I totally didn't realise. I'm so glad he's turned out to be a horrible person, because I want JD and Veronica to get together again). Also does JD have his own slushy machine? Because if not, he should.

 **Ginny: Hola! Due to spoiler-y reasons, I am only going to answer the last one. He has seven, as over the years he has bought as many as he could to get the right consistency.**

Eisenhower chapter 15 . Mar 3

Also, are you going to write what's going to happen at the scoreboard dedication event? [Obviously, some shit's gonna go down]

 **Ginny: *repeats awkward smile***

A chapter 3 . Apr 3

Wait didn't Carol Lynn already know it was Heather's birthday? could've sworn it was mentioned in the previous chapter?

 **Ginny: IT WAS I'M JUST TERRIBLE AT CONTINUITY. I JUST CAME OUT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND I HONESTLY FEEL SO ATTACKED RN (Just kidding, I know it's awful! I love you. Please keep roasting me.)**

Ouat Prisky0731 chapter 15 . Apr 19

was that Heather Duke? also so excited to read more!

 **Ginny: Heather Duke. No discernible personality, but her mom did pay for implants. Yes! Thank you!**

 **I sadly can't answer all of the questions, due to the chance of spoiling my already predictable storyline (it's SO hard but I'm trying friends, I'm trying to work on it), but if you want to ask me questions, keep them coming! Last but not least, we have our fun facts!**

 **1\. Heather's first day of school outfit is based off the outfit Barrett Wilbert Weed (the original Veronica Off-Broadway, and now Janis in Mean Girls on Broadway) wore in the rehearsal clips took of the show back in the day.**

 **2\. Phil was named after Phil Lewis (aka "Mr. Moseby" in the Suite Life franchise on Disney Channel), who was in the original Heathers movie**

 **3\. Ms. Fleming keeps a box of flashlights in her office should she be in need of another "healing" rally.**

 **Thank you all so much! Until next time, Dinosaurs!**


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